My Immortal
by Dreamingfox
Summary: Ranma receives another curse that changes his life. Can he pick up the pieces and start something new or has he finally been broken? Crossover with Akamatsu-verse (mainly Negima and Love Hina).
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes –

More ideas out of my head. Let me know what you think.

No, I do not own Ranma ½ or any of Rumiko Takahashi's works. I also don't own anything done by Ken Akamatsu. I can only aspire to be as successful as either of them, though given how strict publishing laws are in the US I seriously doubt that I can become that successful through this medium of Fanfiction.

* * *

The usually busy Cat Café was unusually quiet today. A somber and sober atmosphere filled the air, making it all the more awkward for the handful of guests that entered.

"So, you all came," the owner of the café stated as she gazed at the quintet of guests.

"Yeah," the raven haired boy replied.

"Have a seat, son-in-law."

The air was thick with tension as the five seated themselves across from the ancient Amazon despite the barb.

"Why'd you call me out here?" the pigtailed martial artist asked as he eyed the matriarch.

Wrinkled eyes narrowed as they focused on the young man. "I know that your fool of a father promised his fool of a friend that you would marry one of his daughters to unite your schools."

Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome nodded.

"But our laws demand that you marry Shampoo," the crone added. "You defeated her in combat, and it is her responsibility to bring you back to our tribe as her husband."

"If it's her responsibility than why are you here?" the youngest Tendo exclaimed.

Cologne's piercing eyes locked with the fiery Tendo's, prompting Ranma to put his hand and arm before Akane. The gesture wasn't lost to anyone.

"Though she maybe the most talented Amazon of her generation, she has a long ways to go before I can accept her as my heir," the master martial artist stated. "But if she were to have your child, that child could well be the greatest warrior my people has seen in their history.

"Your rival, Ryoga, has mastered the Breaking Point, and did so without scarring himself, a feat that only I have done. Shampoo is not yet at the point where she is ready to undergo that training even, and she's a champion."

"So why not have Ryoga marry into your tribe?" Genma suggested.

"Because as good as he is, none of our warriors has lost to him," Cologne stated. "If he were to fight one I am certain he'd win, and thus have an Amazon warrior hound him as Shampoo has hounded you. But that is neither here nor there. We're here to discuss you, son-in-law.

"Shampoo and I did what was necessary to prevent you from marrying her, but if you truly persist in trying to marry her, we will simply have to step up our attempts to take you back with us and remove all obstacles that would dare to bar our path."

It was Ranma's turn to glare at the ancient master. "So you'd kill her," he stated.

"You can't imagine what we'd do to her and her family," Cologne stated. "Do you seriously think that you can defeat me child?"

"Yes," Ranma replied. "I used to think that you'd gone easy on me back when we fought over the Phoenix Pill, but then I realized, despite all your control and all the techniques you knew, you couldn't keep fighting on that level for much longer without serious risks to yourself. That's when you started pushing for a different approach to getting me to come back with you to China."

Cologne scowled. The boy really was much more observant that she or anyone gave him credit for. "We'll have you or no one will have you."

The tension in the air increased, nearly suffocating the others as the two martial artists glared at each other.

"I guess this meeting's over," Ranma stated.

Behind him the others stood. Slowly they made their way out of the café.

"You've been warned," Cologne exclaimed. "Whatever happens is on your head."

* * *

Mousse was not happy. Though he knew that Cologne and Shampoo wanted Ranma to come back to China with them, the myopic martial artists knew that it would never happen. Having fought Ranma the most of the Amazons, the near-sighted master of hidden weapons knew that the proud fighter would never subjugate himself to either Cologne or Shampoo. Sure, they could hate him and even cry, but there was only so much that Ranma was willing to put up with. And this - this was definitely going too far. It wasn't a case of the straw that broke the camel's back, this wasn't even a declaration of war – it was a fucking nuke.

Though he had never eaten Akane Tendo's cooking, the myopic one knew that her cooking had floored Ranma and Ryoga several times. If anyone could survive being poisoned, it was Ranma. Unfortunately, the others weren't as fortunate to have his iron constitution.

But trapped as he was in his cursed form, there was little that he could do to warn Saotome and the Tendos. Not only had the old ghoul taken each of her targets into account, she'd plotted and planned everything perfectly.

Well, not perfectly.

"You be good," Shampoo whispered as she pulled out the key to his chains and unlocked him.

As much as he disliked Ranma, Mousse would never wish that fate on his rival. But as good as he was he knew he didn't have a chance against Cologne. Ranma might, but he was too kind hearted to do what was needed. No, there was only one person left who could stand up to Cologne.

* * *

Total devastation greeted the Saotomes and the two Tendos as they returned to the Tendo household. It really wasn't a surprise considering that the dojo and house had been damaged during the failed wedding. Still, the sight was disheartening.

"Why don't we eat out?" Ranma suggested as his stomach began to growl. With even the kitchen in disarray, the pigtailed martial artist doubted that even Kasumi and his mom could serve them a nice meal. Then again, it was kind of hard to do given all the repair men stomping around the house.

"That's actually a good idea," Nabiki chimed in as she came down the stairs. "There's this new sushi shop that just opened up and they were handing out some coupons today."

Feeling his empty stomach turning, Ranma simply shrugged as the rest of the household voiced their opinions.

"Hey, with the price of all the repairs we need to save some money," Nabiki pointed out. "I'm sure Ranma can get some free food around town, but the rest of us aren't as fortunate."

Though the others (Genma and Soun) groused, none dared to refute Nabiki's argument.

The tiny corner restaurant was virtually empty save for the lone chef behind the bar.

"Ah, customers," the thin man smiled. "Please, have a seat at the bar."

Eight seats lined one side of the bar with three more along the end of the bar. Taking seven of the eight seats the Saotomes and Tendos eyed the chilled fish.

"You're my first customers," the chef and owner stated as he pulled out his knife.

"Why am I not surprised?" Nabiki mumbled as she eyed the dingy shop. Still, the bar and the seats at the bar appeared to be clean and up to par.

Before anyone even looked at the menu the slightly nervous chef handed them a large plate ten slices of sushi and ten slices of sashimi. "Please, this is on the house," the man insisted. "To celebrate my first customers."

Never one to turn down free food, Genma and Soun quickly snapped their chopsticks. Grabbing some wasabi, they poured soy sauce over it and blended the two ingredients in their own tiny dishes.

Knowing her husband and having seen the chaos that usually erupted over any meal, Nodoka quickly set a slice of sashimi and sushi on everyone's plate, leaving the extra slices and the ones for Genma and Soun on the original plate.

"What kind of fish is this?" Kasumi asked as she eyed the pinkish flesh.

"Why not try it and guess?" Soun teased as he dipped a slice in his brownish soy sauce. Setting it back on the white radish, he threw it into his mouth.

Beside him Genma did the same, though he'd managed to down two slices already.

In a matter of moments all twenty slices had been devoured.

"Hmmm, that's pretty tasty," Ranma remarked as he eyed the menu. Having had two slices (one sashimi and one sushi) he was curious as to what type of fish it was. "Can I get more of that?"

"Sure," the chef replied. "I just need to get more from the refrigerator."

"Hey, get some more red snapper and some squid too," Genma added as eyed the selection of fish behind the glass. "And some hot sake."

The man bowed before quickly retreating to the back.

"Ohhh…" Akane groaned.

"This is why I don't eat anything raw," Nabiki groaned as she clutched her stomach.

Ranma glanced at the others. Clearly something was wrong.

Slamming her hand to the counter, Kasumi dug her nails into the hardwood, scratching the sealed and finished dark wood.

"IT HURTS!" Nabiki growled as she ripped her blouse off, her clawed hands tearing into her flesh.

"NOO!" Soun cried out as he emptied the contents of his stomach.

Genma slammed his head against the glass, shattering it and opening up a long cut on his forehead. A greenish-brown tinge replaced his normally pale complexion. Strong, nimble fingers elongated even as the nails on his fingers grew into menacing claws. New muscles grew, expanding the skin. Clothes strained to contain the new growth before slowly being torn apart.

"So, you didn't have any of the sushi," Cologne sneered as she appeared at the back door. "That's too bad. I had hoped to bring you back as one of them if the meat hadn't killed you outright."

"You!" Ranma roared as he spotted the diminutive figure. "What did you do to them?"

"I told you I'd remove all obstacles," she stated. "I tried to warn you, but you were too pig-headed to listen. But it's not too late for you. You can still come back to the village with us."

For the first time in his short life, rage and hate filled his eyes.

"I'll take that as a no," the ancient Amazon shrugged. "Pity, you are the greatest martial artist in over a hundred years. Oh well, I guess Shampoo will just have to settle for Ryoga."

Before Ranma could launch himself at the hated Amazon, he felt powerful claws rake his back. Rolling with the blow, he turned to face his attacker. Looking at the monsters before him he couldn't tell who had been whom as none of them appeared to have anything that identified them with who they had been. Each had sickly greenish-brown skin and the bulbous amphibian-like eyes, though it was the closest one who had blood dripping from his long, vicious claws.

"Mom?" he forced out. She had been the one closest to him at the bar.

Cologne forgotten, he focused on trying to identify his six companions. _'It was me, mom, pops, Mr. Tendo, Kasumi and Akane.'_

Looking down the line, he tried to focus on a distinctive feature that would identify each one from the others.

'_Mom's got four fingers; pop's is a bit heavier set; Mr. Tendo has two fingers and a thumb on each hand and is taller than pops,'_ he thought as he leapt onto the bar. _'Kasumi's slumped over; Nabiki's only half transformed; and Akane still has part of her bra.'  
_  
The creature, his mom, roared as she raised her powerful hand. Years of ingrained training propelled Ranma away from his mother's slow but vicious attack. The tiny restaurant offered little room for him to maneuver as the towering figures of his companions nearly touched the low ceiling.

"Mom!" he called out as he leapt over another swipe. "It's me, Ranma!"

Behind her the others roared. Akane and Mr. Tendo quickly turned on the slumped over girls, their wicked claws and powerful hands literally ripping their bodies into smaller, more manageable pieces before they began devouring them.

He wanted to scream, to tell them to stop, but he couldn't. All he could do was watch helplessly as the two Tendos devoured the others. And with his own transformed parents before him he couldn't even intervene physically.

Pure instinct and years of training his muscles and body allowed him to flow around their attacks. His mom attacked with her long arms, forcing him to leap out of her range. The sickening sound of Nabiki and Kasumi being devoured reached his ears despite his father's fierce howling as the stout monster joined the feast.

With only his mother to contend with, dodging was easy as he leapt off the wall or simply ducked under a swipe.

"Mom, it's me, Ranma," he called out, hoping that she would be able to beat whatever it was that Cologne did to her.

Using her long arms, she reached out for him, her clawed fingers seeking to imbed themselves in his soft flesh.

Undeterred, he caught her wrists. "Mom?"

Unbelievable brute power broke his tentative hold on her massive wrists, forcing Ranma to abandon his attempts to subdue his mother and break through to her.

A thundering roar filled the restaurant as Genma turned towards them. Nothing remained of Nabiki or Kasumi, leaving the hungry creatures to turn to the only other food source.

As was typical of the rotund Genma Saotome, he rushed in, seeing to claim the food for himself.

Ducking under the deadly claws, Ranma tripped his father, sending him crashing into the wall. Despite his increased bulk and power, Genma didn't crash through the reinforced wall.

'_Not good,_' he thought as he eyed his position.

Though he could leap over the others, he knew that he didn't have the room necessary to cleanly escape them. Unwilling to attack them, he could only hope that they'd leave an opening for him to escape. Still, there was only so much that he could do in the limited space that he had to work with. Dodging a swipe from his father, he left himself exposed as Mr. Tendo plowed into him.

Powerful, three fingered hands dug into his side as Mr. Tendo pinned him down. Roaring, he opened his gaping maw, exposing rows upon rows of shark-like teeth. Powerful muscles added by gravity brought his head down as he clamped its teeth down onto Ranma's shoulder.

His vision blurred even as he fought through the pain. "I'm sorry," he mumbled as darkness threatened to consume him. "I couldn't protect any of you… I couldn't even save you."

Fighting back tears he struck the creature with the Gaito Retsugan Dan. Despite the thick skin that now protected Mr. Tendo and the fact that he had not mastered the attack, his attack pierced the thick hide. Slipping his hand through the tough muscle and strong bones, he gripped Mr. Tendo's heart before brutally squashing it.

The Mr. Tendo's muffled roar of anguish caused his teeth to rip into Ranma's shoulder even more despite the fact that the Mr. Tendo was in his death throes. With the hold over him loosening, the pigtailed martial artist managed to get out from underneath his attacker though Mr. Tendo's teeth remained imbedded in his shoulder.

Another creature rushed in, kicking him hard enough to dislodge him from the other creature's mouth though it left him without the muscles on his shoulder. Had Ranma been all there he would have realized that it was his father kicking him.

Ignoring the pain, the broken boy reached for his mother's discarded sword. With only one working hand he unsheathed the blade, cutting off one of the creature's foot as it ran towards him. Unbalanced, the creature crashed into the sushi bar as Ranma rolled to his feet.

Armed, Ranma no longer gave up a considerable reach advantage to the monsters. Though he only had the use of one arm, it gave him another edge over his lumbering opponents.

The closest standing creature rushed him.

Ducking under the creature's strike, the pigtailed boy lashed out, cutting the creature in two.

* * *

The lingering light of day shone brightly in the office window, illuminating the room as two men sat across from each other.

"That's great news," the older man stated. "Truly an occasion worth celebrating."

One, the older of the two, stroked his long, white beard while the younger of the two poured some liquor for the both of them.

"Yes, it is," the younger man replied as he handed the first cup to the older man.

"To Konoka," the wrinkled man toasted.

"To Konoka," the taller man replied as he raised his cup.

The sound of several hurried steps approaching the large double doors interrupted the toast, announcing the sudden presence of the older man's assistant.

"Sir," the busty young blond exclaimed. "I'm sorry to bother you at such a time," she added, "but an emergency has come up."

Both men turned to face the blond, still clutching their drinks as they did so.

"A monster has been spotted in Nerima," the woman explained.

"Nerima?" the younger man scoffed. "There are always monsters showing up there. With the number of world class martial artists they have there, I'm surprised that they'd even ask for assistance."

The old man quickly knocked back his drink. "Be that as it may, we may have to investigate it. If there is a monster on the loose we should be ready to assist as needed."

The taller man shrugged as he knocked back his drink in one fell swoop. "I guess you are closer, but my escort and I are faster. If you want we can check up on things since most of your staff are probably off for the summer holidays."

"How kind," the Dean smiled, "but just in case, why don't we have Takamichi accompany you? It's been a while since the two of you have worked together, but I'm sure he's the best one for the job.

"Now, let us see what kind of monsters we're dealing with."

Motioning towards his wall, he summoned his scrying pool. "Now, let us see what transpires in Nerima."

With a wave of his hand the clear waters in the marble stand slowly shifted, taking on the image of a city as though being viewed from the sky. Slowly the image shifted as the buildings grew bigger and less distant. Soon, the image of a large creature with blotchy green and brown skin running through the street came into focus.

"A Lost Soul."

"You know of these creatures?" the blond asked.

The younger man nodded. "Those creatures are very hard to kill."

"How hard?" the shriveled old man asked.

"They're immortal," he added as he reached for his sword. "Cut off their head, destroy their brain, or burn them completely. Everything else they'll heal from eventually."

The Dean nodded grimly. "Shizuna, call Takahata immediately."

* * *

Nerima was no stranger to chaos and fighting. Many world class martial artists called the district home, and given the temperament of the young fighters, fights were an everyday occurrence. Unfortunately nothing that had happened before prepared the residents for what they experienced today.

"Foul creature, I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan, shall smite you," the kendoka declared as the fierce monster advanced.

Drawing his feared weapon, he lashed out. Though his weapon fell well short of his opponent, the force of his strikes hit home as the pressure of the displaced air collided with the rampaging monster.

"So," Kuno exclaimed as he assessed his work, "you can take a beating – well none deliver divine punishment like the Blue Thunder can!"

Fierce thrusts pierced the monster's already flayed skin as blood flowed freely. A final thrust pierced the creature's heart, prompting the creature to shudder then slump to its knees.

"Hahaha!" Satisfied with vanquishing the foul creature, Kuno extracted his weapon from the creature's heart. "Such is the might of the Blue Thunder of Furinka-ahh!"

The arrogant kendoka screamed in pain as the creature sunk its teeth into his leg. Stabbing pain ran up his other leg as the creature dug its claws into his other calf.

Unable to use his legs, the kendoka resorted to bashing the creature over the head and shoulders. "Cursed beast – ah! You shall not de-ahh defeat the Blue Thunder!"

Using its size to its advantage, the creature pulled him down to the ground despite the pummeling that it was receiving.

Only a well placed sword kept the creature from mauling him anymore.

Kuno looked up momentarily before composing himself again. "Saotome," he growled as he stabbed the creature in the eye. Tatewaki immediately banished the thought of needing Saotome's assistance, attributing it instead to the fact that Saotome had arrived at the last second to steal his kill.

Opening his mouth to voice just that, he noted the odd posture that the younger fighter had.

'_Something is wrong,'_ he mused as he noted the lack of life in Ranma's eyes. The normally bright blue eyes sparkled with life and energy, but today, they were dead and lifeless. It was as though Ranma were simply going through the motions of slaying the creature. Almost as though he were enscrolled…

The accursed pigtailed boy stood over the thrashing beast, sword in hand. Said sword appeared to have pierced the monster's heart, causing it to shake violently in its apparent death throes. Fresh blood marred his normally pristine red silk shirt and pants, some of it his and some clearly from the beasts as the dark greenish-brown mixture stained the silk.

Momentarily free of the beast, Kuno managed to get to his feet. "What manor of foul magic is this?" he demanded. "The beast took a beating that even you would not have been able to get up from."

The other fighter seemed to ignore him. Extracting his sword, Ranma viciously stomped on the creature's back before stabbing it again. The creature shuddered violently then lay still.

Apparently satisfied that it was dead, the pigtailed boy left.

"Foul sorcerer," Tatewaki grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet. "More than likely, Saotome summoned these creatures just so that he could claim the glory of killing them himself."

Prodding the creature, the injured Kuno failed to notice that the creature's arm moved until it was too late. Mighty muscles in its arm and chest allowed it to push itself off of the ground while the other arm reached out, stabbing its three clawed fingers into Kuno's chest.

"…"

Powerful claws ripped through his chest, breaking ribs as the creature pulled itself onto its feet and drove the kendoka to his knees as the weight of his injuries hit him.

The last thing he was the creature's vicious teeth and disgusting tongue as the creature bit into his head.

* * *

Nerima was in chaos. In the handful of months that she'd been there the ancient Amazon had never seen things get to this point. As a fighter herself, Cologne knew that the 'chaos' generated by their fights was actually pretty structured as the fighters sought high ground or other ground that favored their strengths.

But watching the chaos unfold as civilians rushed through the streets was something altogether different. This was true chaos.

Still, the old crone didn't care. True, some of them had been good and loyal customers, but only because they lacked the culinary skills of centuries that she had.

"You know," a sagely voice called out, "I can't let you get away with this."

"Why Happi?" the Amazon asked as she turned to face her long time rival. "It's not as though you cared for any of them. Even you threw the fight when you realized what was in store for you had you won our fight back then."

"I was younger back then," he conceded. "But you have no right to impose your archaic laws on anyone else. Ranma didn't know, and your granddaughter's foolish pride as well as your peoples', is what is going to doom you. You've angered Ranma, and I know that the boy will do anything in his power to avenge his loved ones on you. But if I end things here your granddaughter and the others will have a chance to make amends."

"Ha," she scoffed. "You're doing this for me?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm doing this for the others. I've let too many people get involved in your schemes just because I was entertained by them, but no more."

The ancient Amazon raised her brow.

"I know that when you discovered I was here you wanted revenge for what I did to the Amazons all those centuries ago. You knew that you couldn't force Ranma to come back with Shampoo, but you used her as justification for lashing out at the boy as a means of getting back at me. You also used him to get back at me as well, pitting me against my heir so that you could test me.

"Perhaps I should not have let you play your last card, but it all ends today. Shampoo will go back in disgrace and without your support she will lose her warrior status. If she doesn't accept her demotion, than that's up to her. If she does, than Mousse has a chance at winning her heart. She might have children, but they'll have to prove themselves to your council and without you around it'll be all the more difficult."

"My people need me!" Cologne snapped. "I have guided them for nearly two centuries! Everything I did was to ensure that my peoples' traditions would last. Four thousand years of tradition! Do you know what means?

"You, the master who was sealed away by your own students for nearly two decades – what would you know about tradition and doing right by your students?"

"You're right, I once thought only of myself," he replied. "And since escaping from the cave I've learned to enjoy life. True, I have often butted heads with the youngsters and you, but I've never forced my views on them. I may have provoked them with my antics, but I've never forced my ideals on them.

"But that's the difference between me and you - I've learned from my mistakes, so has Ranma. We've adapted, you haven't. That's the difference between us and you. While we have allowed traditions to mold us, we don't let them restrain us or define us. By following your traditions, or at least the ones you wish to follow, you've doomed your people."

Still scowling at her one-time suitor, she reconsidered her options. Though both were grandmasters, neither one knew all the other's tricks. Still, the battle would not last long. Neither would be holding back, but neither was capable of going all out for very long either.

"So, are you ready?" he asked, taunting her as though he knew what she was thinking.

Launching herself at her rival she jabbed at him with her cane. Just as expected he parried with his pipe, redirecting the force of her attack as he attempted to send her flying into the ceiling. For anyone else the short trip to the low ceiling might have been disastrous, but to a master martial artist of her caliber she could easily turn things around.

Flipping around in the air, she planted her feet on the ceiling as she scanned the area for the arrogant martial artist. Creating several images of herself she pushed off of the ceiling. Several images moved to engage Happosai, distracting him so that she could find an opening. With a casual swipe he dispelled three of the images.

"Is that all you got?" he taunted. "You're a century too late to beat me with that trick."

Spotting an opening, the Amazon dashed in, lashing out with her cane. The feel of cloth and padding connecting with the wooden shaft nearly brought a grin to her face but the lack of any further substance told her that her opponent had avoided taking the hit.

Swinging around his pipe, the old pervert slammed in into her cane, shattering it with casual ease. With a flick of the wrist he threw a handful of crushed pepper at her. Rather than close her eyes and leave herself exposed to whatever else Happosai had in store for her, the weathered Amazon endured the hot peppers. Though they irritated her she knew that she could overcome the slight burning sensation in her eyes.

The founder of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū simply smiled as he pulled out a lit match. Spitting out a mouthful of sake into the flame, he lit her up.

The flames weren't strong enough to do any real harm, but the bright light combined with the pepper dust to her eyes left the Amazon momentarily blind. Landing on her feet she felt her opponent rush her, seeking to take advantage of her momentary handicap. A desperate parry allowed her to grab onto the sleeve of his robe. A simple twist and turn allowed her to throw him into a pile of pots and pans.

As the owner and master of the Cat Café, she knew just where she was and how far she was from the sink. If she wanted to win she'd have to wash her eyes out so that she'd at least have some vision. Leaping towards the sink, she threw the remains of her cane at the faucet. The sound of running water greeted her ears as she rushed to clean her eyes out. Jumping into the sink, she reached for her eyes even as the water cascaded over her.

Something was wrong. She couldn't move her hands. She didn't have arms much less hands. Falling into the bottom of the sink she realized that she didn't have legs either.

"Well, well, well," her rival's voice called out, "that went better than I expected. It's sad that I had to actually use this against you, but there's a city that needs its martial artists."

Cologne hissed.

"Pool of drowned viper," the tiny man said as he stood atop the basin, cautiously turning off the water. "How fitting really. Crush the head of the snake and the body is useless. Just like how the Amazons are going to be once you're gone."

"Just kill her now," another voice stated. "We shouldn't give her any time to adapt to her new body."

"You're right lad," the old master replied. Pulling out his flask, he emptied it into the deep sink, dousing the snake with the alcoholic liquid. "You've set all the bombs?"

"Everything's set," Mousse proclaimed. "With Cologne dead and Shampoo returning to the village in disgrace, I can marry her without anyone interfering."

"She'll hate you, you know," the old man stated as he poured cooking oil into the sink.

Mousse shrugged. "She'll learn to be happy eventually."

"Good bye Cologne."

Coiling up, the vengeful Amazon turned deadly viper launched herself at the arrogant old man. Only the sudden intervention of a deadly blade prevented her from sinking her poison fangs into the little man.

"I told you she'd get used to her body," the younger martial artist chided.

"Guess you're right," Happosai lamented. "You better hope Shampoo doesn't turn out like her great-grandmother."

* * *

"Keep the customers safe," the brunette chef ordered as she eyed the two monstrous creatures.

Both had sickly greenish-brown molted skin, though the similarities ended there. The first appeared to be little some sort of serpentine creature with the torso of a humanoid while the second had two right forearms and mismatched legs that made it look as though it were limping as it walked.

Grabbing her battle gear, she eyed her trusty assistant. From the look in the cross-dressing ninja's face it was clear that he'd never faced anything like those creatures before.

Throwing her battle batter, she waited for the tell tale explosion of her customized weapon as she momentarily turned her back to the creatures. Hearing the loud 'puff' she turned around. As she'd hoped the two creatures were bound in the doughy trap.

A nod to her companion was all the signal she needed to give him as the male kunoichi rushed in, his ningato already drawn. A quick slash nearly took the head off of one creature though the impressive spray of blood did fill the air.

The sickening sound of her battle spatula connecting with the other creature's head echoed off the buildings, nearly making the battle hardened girl lose her stomach even as she used her weapon to push off of the creature and avoid getting caught in the dough. Landing well clear of the dough, she was surprised to see the creature continue to fight out of its sticky confines.

"Stop!" a voice called out.

The chef and waiter looked up at the newcomer.

"What do you mean?" Konatsu asked. "These monsters were terrorizing our customers."

"They're the Tendos," the male Amazon stated as he leapt off a building and landed on the street.

Both the chef and the waiter eyed the other boy.

"Cologne fed them mermaid's flesh," the myopic martial artist explained. "They've turned into… well, this."

"Bu-but we've already killed them," Ukyo exclaimed.

"They're immortal," Mousse explained as he reached into his robes. "The only way to kill them is to immolate them or cut their head off."

"Well, cooking them alive is going to leave a stench that is going to kill the restaurant," Ukyo remarked.

"We need to keep them trapped," Mousse interjected. "And keep Ranma away from them."

"Why?" the brunette turned to eye the Amazon.

"He's already killed of them five times," the Amazon explained. "The same one managed to kill Kuno."

"Five times?" the male kunoichi asked.

Mousse nodded.

"The Principal, Tatewaki or Kodachi?"

"Tatewaki."

Ukyo simply blinked as she absorbed the information. "He doesn't know how to kill them? He didn't stay to keep it from killing Kuno?"

"I didn't ask," the myopic fighter replied. "But… well, you know Ranma's not one to kill lightly. I don't think he'd be so cruel as to force the creature to endure five killing blows only to heal and be killed again. I.. I think he's finally lost it. He might not realize that he has to behead them to kill them for good."

Ukyo and Konatsu paused.

Though the ninja had a few encounters with Ranma, the pigtailed fighter had always been friendly if somewhat tactless. He might offend someone, but he rarely went out of his way to be cruel to anyone.

For Ukyo, the idea that the unbeatable and indomitable Ranma had been snapped was mind boggling.

"Why is it that you know so much about these creatures?" Konatsu asked.

"Because the Amazons have done this before," Mousse explained. "In the past we've secretly slipped the cursed flesh into the food of our enemies. Most die, but a few are turned into these. We've kept the few that are turned in a giant pit and allow our strongest fighters to test themselves against them. We also use feed them our enemies or those who break our laws.

"Cologne convinced someone who had a grudge against the Tendos and the Saotomes to feed them cursed meat. I wasn't able to stop her from but I was able to contact Happosai. I didn't see the start of the fighting, but I think Ranma snapped. Now if he does see the monsters, don't get in his way – I don't think that there's anything that can stop him right now. Just keep him from taking their heads off."

"What are you going to do?" Konatsu asked.

"I'm going to try the cursed water on them," Mousse replied as he put his glasses on. Checking the label of the vial he extracted from his robes.

The others nodded, understanding what he was trying to do.

"Could you cut off an arm for me?" Mousse asked as he turned to Konatsu. Though it was only a theory, Mousse hoped that his idea worked.

The ninja turned to his mistress, waiting for her nod of agreement. In a flash, he cleared the five meter distance between the martial artists and the monsters. A skillful stroke of his blade was all he needed to sever an arm off the closest beast. Skillfully he kicked the dismembered limb towards the Amazon.

The bloody limb landed with a thud, squirting more of the foul smelling blood. Both Ukyo and Mousse could see that the hand was still moving despite not being attached to the body.

"It's still alive!" Ukyo exclaimed in a mixture of disgust and awe.

Mousse nodded, uncorking the vial and pouring the cursed water on the limb.

All eyes waited for some sign that the cursed magic was working.

"You're sure you got the right stuff?" Ukyo asked.

As if to respond, Mousse reached into his sleeves, pulling out a mouse. Setting it down, he poured some of the water on the rodent. Suddenly a duck appeared. "This isn't good – even the cursed water isn't as powerful as this curse."

"You carry that around with you?" the chef asked.

"Why not?" he replied with a shrug. "It's not as though it'll work against me and it's always useful to have around if I'm hungry for duck."

Ukyo opened her mouth for a rebuttal but couldn't find any words.

"So, what do we do?" Konatsu asked as he appeared beside his mistress.

Reaching into sleeves once again, the myopic Amazon pulled out another pair of vials.

"Tranquilizers?" Ukyo asked.

Mousse nodded. "This should be enough to knock out an elephant. Once they're out we can move them to a more secure location. After that, it's up to Ranma to decide."

* * *

'_I've lost him,'_ the violet haired girl thought as she watched the chaos from above.

Though she'd only known him for a relatively short time, the past year or so had proven that Ranma really was a worthwhile husband.

His ability to perceive, disassemble, learn, and adapt ancient Amazon techniques that even the greatest of her generation were not yet capable of learning was astounding. Then there was the string of victories he had over many of the mightiest warriors in all of China – Cologne, Herb, Saffron - and the other notable fighters in Japan proved the he was clearly the best of their generation.

But beyond his physical abilities and skills in the art, he was also a good person. He could have easily allowed Mousse to bind her once she hatched from the Phoenix's egg yet he hadn't. He could have killed her to free himself from her advances as well as to make things easier for himself and any of her rivals, but he'd helped her against her rivals despite the fact that she'd previously tried to entrap him with her many schemes.

Yes, Ranma was a good man despite his many flaws. He was trustworthy, honorable, and considerate. Though she had initially thought of those traits as weaknesses to be exploited, she'd learned that those very traits made him all the more desirable as a mate and spouse.

Though she'd enjoyed pursuing him, she'd recently realized that she would not be able to get him to love her as he loved Akane.

That very realization was what brought around the current chaos.

Cologne's unwillingness to allow her to return in disgrace, and thus robbing her of her last heir, as well as the fact that she could not simply wait for the next generation though had prompted the Amazon elder to take such drastic measures.

Apparently Ranma hadn't eaten the flesh, thus making it all the more miserable for him. It would have been kinder to simply kill him but seeing Ranma slaughter the remains of his family as well as the remains of the violent girl's family, she knew that he was broken. Fighting back her tears, the young Amazon held her ground.

Cologne had been right - this measure would end any chance for any of the other remaining rivals to acquire Ranma for themselves. But the venerable elder had also been wrong. The cursed flesh was supposed to have killed them. Mercenary girl and the kind Tendo had died as expected, but Akane and Nodoka had been turned. Cologne had initially estimated that only Ranma, his father, and possible Mr. Tendo would survive being turned. Bringing back three new toys for the Amazon would have been difficult to do, but it would have removed the stain on Shampoo's honor.

Watching Ranma cut down his father, Shampoo felt great sadness claim her heart. The Ranma she had loved was gone. This cold blooded killer that ruthlessly slaughter his transformed father was truly vicious and deadly.

As good as the elders were, none of them would be able to fight against this battle crazed Ranma. And then there was also Ryoga to contend with. Though the lost boy often played second fiddle to his rival, Ryoga was not far behind Ranma in skill and ability. The loss, no, death, of Akane Tendo as a result of an Amazon scheme would mark all Amazons as the lost boy's eternal enemy.

Despite her great-grandmother's best interests, Shampoo knew that they had pushed Ranma too far.

* * *

Many of the martial artists that had come through Nerima in the past year were drawn there for a reason. Most came to make a name for themselves, though some came to settle a score with one of the two Saotomes or the grandmaster of their style. Like the majority of the rest, he had come to Nerima for the same reasons.

Though he had taken longer than most to settle things with Ranma, Ryoga had come to respect Ranma as a fighter and even as a person. Over the past few months he'd come to see Ranma not as the source of his problems, but merely part of the total equation. Accepting his own role in his fate, the Lost boy had started to drift away from Nerima over the past few months, though he occasionally found his way back to Nerima as he did today.

Initially though he hadn't recognized the city, though in truth he never recognized anywhere he went unless there were obvious landmarks.

The sound of screaming and gunshots drew his attention. The lost boy paused, taking a moment to place himself.

All around him people were screaming. Even the police were scrambling as they herded the civilians away.

More shots rang out, drawing his attention to the armed police officers. Following their eyes, he spotted the monstrous creatures. Having fought against monsters like Pantyhose Taro as well as others, Ryoga thought little of the sight of the creatures. Seeing one of the creatures attacking despite being shot told him all he needed to know.

Dropping his pack, he let out a fierce roar (shouting 'Ranma, prepare to die!' just didn't feel right) as he ran past the fleeing civilians and non-combatants. Rushing past the closest monster's swipe, he connected with a powerful punch. Despite his ability to break giant boulders with a single punch, he failed to do more than knock the monster back a few steps.

Backpedalling, he avoided a fierce swipe. A punishing uppercut connected with the brute's jaw, knocking out several vicious teeth. A swift kick to the stomach jackknifed the creature, allowing Ryoga to connect with a hammer-fisted blow to the back of the creature's neck. The sound of bone breaking greeted Ryoga as he landed.

A confident smile formed on his face as he eyed the second monster.

Bloody wounds from the bullets healed before his eyes, but it was seeing the first monster shaking its head as its neck healed that wiped the smile off of his face.

'_Regeneration,'_ he thought as he leapt out of the healing creature's reach. "Get back!" he shouted as he drew the creatures' attention. "I'll keep them busy!"

Though the police were initially skeptical, more than a few had seen him fight before. Trusting in the young martial artist's ability, they quickly retreated, ushering the other non-combatants away from monsters.

Pulling out several bandanas, he began to twirl them even as he channeled ki into the fabric. "Why don't you try these!" he shouted as he unleashed a barrage.

Before the deadly projectiles could connect with the creatures they were knocked down. Following the flight of his projectiles, Ryoga eyed the source of the disruption.

"Mousse - what are you doing?" he demanded as he considered the male Amazon.

"You can't kill them," the myopic fighter proclaimed.

Having fought beside and against the master of Hidden Weapons before, Ryoga knew that the other boy knew more than he was letting on. "Mousse, if you"

"I didn't," Mousse shouted as he unleashed a barrage of weighted chains that bound the creature in the back.

"Curse?" he hoped.

"In a way," the Amazon replied as he yanked the feet out from under the bound creature. "I'm not sure who these two are, but…"

"Cologne?" Ryoga guessed. Having been the willing pawn of the shrewd Amazon elder before, he knew that she was perhaps the only one capable of doing something like this to anyone who had crossed her path. Unfortunately only the Tendos and possibly the Saotomes were likely to draw her ire.

"Not good," Mousse grumbled as he released his hold on the chains.

"Wha- Ranma?" the lost boy exclaimed as he caught sight of his rival.

A red blur charged the unbalanced monster, lopping off an arm.

"Ranma!" another newcomer shouted.

"Happosai?" Ryoga called out, not sure what was going on.

"We have to stop him," the ancient grandmaster stated even as Ranma stabbed the creature through the heart.

"Why are you trying to stop him?" another new voice asked.

The three Nerimans eyed the three figures that stood atop an abandoned car.

"He seems to be the only one willing to vanquish the creatures," the smallest and lone female of the group stated.

"He's not in his right mind," the tiny grandmaster stated. "Ranma wouldn't take a life so easily."

"They aren't people anymore," the dark haired man stated as he drew his sword.

"That's not for us to judge," Happosai countered. "The boy doesn't know it now, but he's killing his own family."

* * *

She was nervous. All things considered, being nervous was completely acceptable, just as long as her nerves didn't interfere with her duty, even if that duty had just appeared before her.

Nerima was in chaos, which, according to rumor, wasn't unusual. As the home to several world class martial artists, fights and the ensuing chaos weren't unexpected as said fights could start virtually anywhere and at anytime.

The prospect of facing off against some of the infamous martial artists made her trip to Nerima all the more appealing, but she was there for other business. True, it did involve some of the fighters, but mostly it had to do with the fact that her school had scheduled a late season sparring session with Furinkan and their renowned kendo club.

Tatewaki Kuno was considered to be the favorite to win the approaching national high school tournament, and Nada High School had secured the coveted (though some considered it unenviable) invitation to spar with Furinkan.

Having won the national tournament in his first year of high school, Kuno had been absent during the previous tournament. But it was what he'd done to the two teams that had sparred with Furinkan that had made him infamous in the kendo world as the arrogant swordsman soundly defeated each member of the opposing squads, injuring each of them enough to keep them and their squads out of the national tournament held over a month later.

Despite his fearsome reputation though, the young swordswoman had hoped to face his blade. True, she preferred a naked blade to that of a shinai, but a match was a match. As a Shinmeiryu swordswoman she was more than prepared to face a skilled swordsman.

But it was her duty as a Shinmeiryu that demanded that she deal with the new threat.

"What the hell is that?" one of her classmates asked.

As a Shinmeiryu maiden, she had exorcised demons and spirits before, but this, this monstrosity was different. Regardless, it was a threat to the non-combatants.

Three long fingers with menacing claws tipped long, powerful arms and a mouthful of wicked teeth stood against her skill and her measly shinai. The odds weren't good. Still, she couldn't, wouldn't allow the creature to harm her peers without going through her first.

Before she could even grab her hilt though a mysterious martial artist appeared, drawing the creature's attention. Howling, the towering creature focused on the boy in red.

It was clear to her that the boy was a martial artist, though from the way he moved, it was obvious that he wasn't formally trained to fight with a sword despite the fact that he had one in his hand. Dark brown and black stains told her that as good as he was he'd been injured, yet he fought on.

"That must be Ranma," someone muttered.

"Ranma Saotome?" someone else asked for clarification.

"What other guys named Ranma do you know of?" the first replied. "He's supposed to be Nerima's top fighter."

The creature charged the martial artist.

Fearlessly, Ranma rushed to meet the charge. The flash of steel brought a squeal of delight from some of the younger and less experienced kendoka as he effortlessly cut off the creature's arm.

Howling in pain, the creature pulled back, but not fast enough as Ranma cut the creature's stomach.

The sudden spray of blood from the arm and stomach though made the street slick, causing the sword wielding martial artist to slip. The momentary lapse was all the creature needed as it lashed out at Ranma. Clawed toes ripped into the boy's side, tearing through his already blood stained shirt and sending him flying. An unfortunate Toyota stopped the pigtailed boy's flight as he crashed into the side of the car.

Injured, the creature used the opportunity to flee its hunter.

"We need to find someplace safe," someone, possibly the team's supervising teacher and coach, suggested.

Unwilling to simply seek shelter, the young swords mistress waited for her opportunity to slip away. By the time she made it back to the initial scene, neither the boy known as Ranma nor the beast he hunted remained, though the trail of blood (both human and other) was more than enough for her to follow.

A grim discovery greeted her less than a block away. Having been cut open before, the creature had literally spilled its guts. Judging from the contents, it was clear that the creature had feasted on humans recently. The sight of the partially dissolved face as well as a chewed upon hand greeted her, nearly making her lose her lunch.

Steeling herself, she focused on the remains of the creature. Judging from the way the pieces were strewn about, Ranma had managed to cut its other arm off before a second monster apparently appeared, knocking Ranma into a storefront.

The remains of the arm still twitched and the fingers appeared to be clawing at the cement street even though neither piece was attached to the creature's destroyed head.

'_Like a chicken with its head cut off,'_ she mused as she watched the remaining parts try to move.

Shaking her head, she followed the trail left by the martial artist. _'He's lost a lot of blood,' _she observed as the drops of blood became smaller and began to be spaced further and further apart. _'He can't go much further, not with all the blood he's lost.'_

The feel of several fighters' battle ahead of her told her that she was on the right trail, prompting her to rush ahead_. 'Ni-san? Wasn't he supposed to be visiting his daughter? Those other two must be from Mahora – could that be Kuzunoha-sempai? Three others… probably the local martial artists. Just how many creatures are there?' _

Turning the corner, she spotted two creatures as they stood in the center of the street, one currently being assaulted by the martial artist in red. The other fighters lined the street, standing on cars or atop telephone poles_. 'Wait, that doesn't add up…'_

"That's not for us to judge," she heard someone proclaim. "The boy doesn't know it, but he's killing his own family."

Tsuruko blinked. That didn't make any sense.

The sound of breaking glass brought her out of her thoughts, drawing her attention to the cloud of gas that enveloped Ranma and the creature he was attacking.

"You have to get him out of there!" Tsuruko protested as she tried to sense the martial artist's battle aura. "He's spent and bleeding badly."

All eyes turned toward her.

"Tsuruko? What… that's right, your club..." Eishun grumbled. "You're not even properly armed."

In a flash the young woman beside her cousin vanished, appearing directly beside her.

"If you're going to be here," the young Shinmeiryu master said as she put her hand on her sword, "you should be properly equipped."

Tsuruko smiled, accepting the young swords mistress' second sword. "Thank you, but we must rescue him," she urged.

"He'll be fine," the young woman insisted.

A second cloud of gas erupted at the other creature's feet, prompting it to roar in protest.

Chains erupted from one of the local fighter's sleeves, wrapping themselves around the powerful creature's arms and legs.

A bandana clad boy charged at the howling creature, driving his fist into the creature's lungs and forcing out any air that had been inside. Doubling over, the creature's head vanished into the gray mist even as the fighter rushed out of the cloud.

"We need to destroy those things," Toko insisted as she unsheathed her blade.

"But, shouldn't we allow the local martial artists to deal with them?" Tsuruko asked. As the future leader of the Shinmeiryu, she knew that there were certain protocols when dealing with other martial artists and the occasional fits that one group or another would throw when someone disrupted their 'turf'.

"We were sent here because the situation as deemed to be beyond your control," Eishun proclaimed as he watched the second creature fall over.

"Well, we didn't ask for your help," the bandana clad boy shouted as he rushed towards his fallen companion. "We've managed to take care of them ourselves."

"What of the innocents already killed?" the scruffy blond man beside Eishun asked. "Too many people witnessed what happened here."

"We'll deal with them," the tiny, shriveled old man replied.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you take those things away," Eishun stated.

"I'm not letting you kill the boy's parents," the tiny man said firmly.

Despite his size, it was clear to the young sword mistress that he was the most powerful fighter present. Even if she were to aid her cousin and his companions, Tsuruko doubted that they would be able to prevail in a straight fight. But this wasn't a straight fight. Their targets needed to be destroyed, and the creatures were already knocked out. But how good were these fighters?

* * *

Tension filled the street as the Nerima fighters eyed the unidentified fighters. With the immortal creatures unconscious and thus vulnerable, as well as the fact that they were outnumbered, Ryoga wasn't sure how the fight would go.

Sudden movement from the scruffy blond man set things in motion he fired some sort of ki blast at the chained monster.

Flinging several bandanas to intercept the blow, Ryoga rushed to intercept the attack and deal with the attacker.

Behind him the two swordswomen rushed at his unconscious rival, prompting Mousse to swoop down on them, leaving Happosai to deal with the sword wielding man.

The mysterious and unseen energy attack collided with his bandanas, knocking two away before dissipating.

Suddenly the man vanished, only to appear right before him.

"We can't let you take them," the blond stated as he decked Ryoga.

The punch was more than enough to dent the side of a car, but to someone who had mastered and endured the breaking point training it was little more than a love tap.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" Ryoga growled as he connected with a counterpunch to the man's stomach, launching him back at the car that he'd been standing on. The car crumpled before sliding into the curb and flipping over.

As experienced as he was in fighting Ranma, Ryoga knew that the fight was far from over. If he could shoot unseen ki blasts and move that fast, than he clearly was capable of taking more punishment than that.

"That's pretty impressive," the blond stated as he pulled himself out of the wreckage that was the Honda.

Not willing to let up on his opponent or allow him to use his speed to his advantage, Ryoga unleashed a barrage of bandanas, forcing the other man to shoot them down with is strange technique as he went on the defensive. Closing the distance, he opened with an overhead left that left him open to an uppercut. Taking the blow, he countered with an uppercut of his own that forced the blond back.

Swift punches and kicks kept the man on the defensive, slowly pushing him back away from Ranma and the others.

'_He's got a good burst of speed, but he's nowhere near as fast as Ranma,'_ Ryoga gauged. _'And he doesn't have Ranma's hand speed either.'_

Blocking and parrying the mighty blows, the blond used the force behind the attacks to put some distance between himself and his opponent.

'_What's he reaching for?'_ the lost boy thought as he watched the blond put his hands into his pocket.

A sudden impact to his face startled him, throwing off his punch and allowing the blond to put even more distance between them. Three more unseen impacts hit him, forcing him to brace himself.

"You're pretty touch," the blond stated as he eyed Ryoga.

"Yeah," the bandana clad boy replied. "It'll take more than that to put me down."

* * *

"You're getting in our way," Eishun proclaimed as he engaged with the tiny little man. "We need to destroy those creatures."

"No," Happosai replied, "you're getting in our way. We're more than capable of destroying them if we want to, but that's not our decision to make. It's the boy's decision."

Slashing at the tiny figure, Eishun had hoped to avoid such a confrontation. Though he'd never met the diminutive man before, he had heard of him. The chaos he caused in Nerima had almost warranted outside intervention had not some of the younger fighters in the area stepped up to impede his reign of terror. Still, clearly they were much more interested in being loyal to one of their own than in doing the right thing.

Despite the little man's size, he was proving to be a very formidable fighter. Though he was probably old when the Dean was a babe, he moved like a spry young fighter.

"Shinmeiryu?" the ancient master guessed as he parried a strike with his pipe. "I haven't seen one of you around in decades… Then again I haven't been to Kyoto for a while."

Eishun grimaced as he was pressed back. Though the man was barely up to his knee and wielded only a pipe he was clearly a better fighter than the young Shinmeiryu master. Proportionately the pipe was the size of a sword for the pint-sized monster, and the way he used his weapon it was clear that he knew how to use it. Judging from his apparent age, he probably had studied the sword longer than even Eishun.

"What is the boy to you?" he asked as he was parried a thrust.

"He's the last heir to my school," the old man admitted as he leapt in, pushing past the other man's guard and forced the swordsman to jump out of the path of his attack. "But that's neither here nor there – we need to move them away so that they're not a danger to anyone else."

"You can't contain them for long," Eishin urged.

Happosai shrugged as he landed, planting himself between his opponent and the transformed creatures. "Only long enough."

"They're no longer human," the swordsman stated.

"The probably aren't, but I can't let the boy destroy them in the state he's currently in," the old man countered. Rushing in, he lashed out with his pipe again.

"He can't save them!" Eishun exclaimed as he fended off the onslaught. "Killing them now while he's out is a tender mercy you must give him."

Despite his argument, the tiny man refused to relent, pushing the younger man back with each strike. Leaping back, the swordsman prepared to cast a quick cantrip.

"Boobies!"

The Shinmeiryu swordsman stared at the empty space that his opponent had occupied a mere second ago. "That was unexpected."

* * *

Having spent much of his life under the thumb of a matriarchal society, Mousse was no stranger to fighting women and girls.

An opening barrage of throwing knives forced the women to stop in their tracks before the older woman set her feet and slashed. A wave of pressurized air met the deadly daggers, knocking them aside.

The myopic martial artist was glad he'd kept his glasses on as he knew that he'd need his eyes to fight the two. The taller and older woman was at least on Kuno's level, and the fact that she used an actual blade rather than a bokken meant that she couldn't be taken lightly.

Rushing in to keep them from using projectile attacks on the unconscious creatures, he knew that he'd be at a disadvantage if both of them were at or around Kuno's level. Still, he needed to do what he needed to do.

The Sanjiegun gave him the needed reach to keep the two swordswomen at bay and provided him with the flexibility to close into closer combat. His familiarity with using the bo, whip, flail, and escrima made the coiled dragon in his hands a deadly and unforgiving weapon but combining it with his hidden weapon style made him exceptionally fearsome.

Closing with the more experienced fighter, he waited for her to make the first move. She quickly obliged, attacking with a swift diagonal slash. Parrying with his left, he twisted with his right, forcing the central segment and the one in his right to join together. Releasing with his left he spun around, dodging a thrust from the younger woman before lashing out with his right. As expected the older woman blocked the staff, only to have the end twist around her blade and strike her right shoulder and back.

Before he could capitalize on the success of his attack, Mousse knew he had to deal with the other girl as she rushed towards Ranma. With his free hand he threw several weighted chains, barring her path. A simple flick of his wrist was enough to force her back as his chains threatened to entangle her as they had the monster she was headed towards.

Releasing the chains as she leapt back, he nimbly grabbed hold of the third segment of the sanjiegun. Another twist returned the weapon into its most flexible form. Blocking a slash with the steel joint of the weapon, he quickly trapped the blade between the two wooden segments and drew the woman to him. A swift kick to the stomach robbed her of her breath as well as her weapon.

"Kuzunoha-sempai!" the younger swordswoman shouted as she rushed to assist the other woman.

A flurry of slashes and thrusts forced Mousse back. As good as she was, she was definitely not as good as Kuno was in close quarters. Though she was nearly as fast as Tatewaki, it was clear that her attacks lacked the same impact as Kuno's bokken. The absence of the pressurized air attacks also made her attacks less threatening, though her katana was definitely formidable as it wore down the wax-wood weapon despite the fact that he was batting aside her blade and avoiding the keen edge. Still, her relentless barrage had allowed the other woman to recover both her breath and her sword.

With the two women now working in tandem, Mousse slowly gave ground. Pressing a button on the leftmost segment he quickly grabbed hold of the central segment, batting aside a slash even as he countered. The once blunt end of the weapon now sported a keen, if short blade as the release for the blade and the centrifugal force of the attack brought the fangs of the coiled dragon out.

The taller woman barely dodged, pulling back just enough that the blade cut through her tight blouse, exposing her modest but perky breasts.

"Boobies!"

Suddenly the fight took a startling turn as Happosai inserted himself in the woman's cleavage.

With the two women now focused on Happosai, Mousse turned around. Seeing the bewildered look on the swordsman's face, the myopic fighter sought to engage the distracted man. Discarding his weapon, he pulled out a pair of Shuanggou.

"So, he tagged out," the swordsman replied as he noted how the two younger swordswomen were chasing after the perverted old man. "He certainly is keeping them from doing their duty."

"He's got a certain way with women," Mousse replied as he eyed his new opponent.

Eishun refrained form smirking. "Yeah, I can definitely see that."

* * *

A slow fog seemed to lift from over him as he woke. His consciousness slowly registered the throbbing pain in his head and stomach. "Aww," he groaned. 'Did someone slip me some of Akane's cookies?'

The feel of hot concrete though told him that he wasn't at home. _'Did I get into a fight?'_ he wondered as he mentally examined his body. _'Doesn't feel like anything's broken. Must have insulted the tomboy's cooking again. Wait, that doesn't explain why I've got a sword in my hand._

'_Someone's fighting,'_ he surmised as he tried to open his eyes. The sound of clashing steel and the shrieking of outraged woman suggested that someone was after Happosai. _'Nothing new there. Guess I gotta put a stop to his panty raiding for the day.'_

Pushing himself off of the pavement, he slowly forced his eyes open.

"Ranma!"

"Yo P-chan," he replied automatically as his mind connected the voice to a name. Looking up at his long-time rival, he noted the disheveled appearance of his favorite silk shirt. "What's going on?"

Seeing Ryoga look away, he knew that the other boy didn't want to answer that.

"I'm not completely sure myself," his rival finally replied. "But something bad has happened."

"New fighters?"

"Sorta," Ryoga replied as he scratched his head.

Standing up, he surveyed the scene. "What are those?"

"The new fighters are here to kill the monsters."

"So why aren't they killing them?" the pigtailed boy asked. "It looks like I was fighting them too, but I don't have any apparent injuries. Still, it feels like you landed a few shots on me. They gotta be pretty tough."

"Yeah." Unsure of what to say, the lost boy simply stood by his rival.

"Ranma!"

Both boys turned to see the tiny grandmaster flying towards them.

"There's no time to explain, but we have to get these," the tiny man pointed to the two recovering monsters "out of here."

Ranma blinked as he tried to catch up with everything that was going on around him. Taking a closer look at the monsters he fell to one knee. 'Mom? Dad?' "Mom? Dad?"

A wave of dread washed over him.

"Ryoga," he said as he forced himself to his feet. "That's my mom and dad, isn't it?"

"No – we're not sure," he replied.

"That's my old man," Ranma repeated. "He turned into something after Cologne had the sushi chef feed us something. That's my mom over there."

Neither Ryoga nor Happosai could meet his gaze.

"You blacked out," Happosai stated. "You were cutting them up pretty badly and it looked like they'd torn into you pretty bad too."

A flood of memories filed his mind as his mother whimpered. Images of him cutting down Mr. Tendo, his pops, and his mother filled his mind even as he dry heaved.

"They're coming to," Happosai stated. "Ryoga, can you throw them into the construction pit over by the park?"

The bandana clad boy nodded, glad that he hadn't been asked to fight the girls instead. "Ranma, keep those women occupied."

"They're trying to kill my parents," Ranma said as he made the connection. Gritting his teeth, he gripped his mother's sword and wiped his mouth.

Calmly he walked towards the women, both of whom slowed down as they approached him.

"I can't let you kill them," he said firmly.

"They've already killed"

"Possibly, probably," the pigtailed boy replied, cutting off the older woman. "But they're my responsibility. I'll take care of them."

The two swordswomen exchanged a glance then turned to face him once again.

"Fine," the younger one replied.

* * *

"One dead, four injured," the scruffy blond said as he looked over the report. "Tatewaki Kuno died of injuries sustained from fighting one of the creatures, the one designated as Soun Tendo.

"Injuries are minor, mostly a result of people trampling over each other though one was caused by friendly fire when a policeman's bullet ricocheted of a building and hit a civilian. We've worked with the police to modify everyone's memories and even managed to keep the reporters from catching wind of what really happened. The incident is being reported as a fight between rogue martial artists resulting in collateral damage that caused the death of several people."

Sighing, the old man nodded, accepting the report. "What of Saotome?"

"The – he ingested the mermaid flesh," the raven haired swordsman replied. "Apparently one in a couple thousand survives and doesn't become a Lost Soul while also gaining immortality."

The old man eyed his son-in-law.

"He's psychologically unbalanced," Eishun added. "Apparently he blacked out and his body simply reacted to the creatures by fighting back. He even killed his father four times and before finally getting knocked out. Since the Incident he appears to have lapses of excessive depression. Unfortunately one of the techniques he knows mixes his emotional state with his ki reserves to manifest ki. The weight of his despair at those times is… considerable."

"How bad?"

"He's capable of leveling a building," Takahata answered.

"And the creatures?" the dean asked.

"Ranma killed each of them personally," the swordswoman replied.

"Who gave them the mermaid's flesh?" the old man asked. "I thought that they'd no longer frequented the waters around Japan or China."

"Apparently the Amazons of China have a live mermaid," Eishun answered. "Mao Tsu, a male from the Amazon tribe, has promised to continue searching for the mermaid and to keep the Amazons from using it against anyone again."

The old man rubbed his wrinkled forehead before sighing. "What of Saotome?"

"Grandmaster Happosai has sealed him," Takahata replied. "The Saotome clan owns some land outside of Hinata and they sealed him there."

"Hinata…" the old man grumbled, recalling the tiny village.

"The Urashima clan has been contacted and informed of the sealing," Eishun added. "Additionally, the Shinmeiryu is sending one of their masters to ensure that he does not leave his family's land."

"Is he such a threat?" the dean asked.

"As I said, he is psychologically damaged," Eishun replied. "Though he is normally a carefree person, the loss of his family and of his fiancée and her family has… unbalanced him. He has moments where he is completely cold yet radiates killer intent."

"What sort of seal was used?" the ancient mage asked.

"A Keystone," Takahata answered. "Saotome is bound to the stone and cannot venture too far from it nor can he approach it to move it as the immediate vicinity of the stone is warded against his presence. No martial artist may approach the Keystone actually."

* * *

The bright glow of the moonlight illuminated the small glade, providing more than enough light for the young swordswoman as she watched the two young men sparring.

"Is that all you've got?" the man in a white gi shouted as he gracefully avoided a barrage of punches. "You're still too slow!"

Though she only knew him for a month, it was easy for Tsuruko to tell that Ranma was clearly the greatest martial artist of their generation. His relatively easy going nature and confident demeanor (when he wasn't dwelling on the Incident at least) made it easy for her to find out so much about him and his time in Nerima.

Even though she lived as far away as Kyoto she'd heard of the fantastic and awe-inspiring fights that seemed to take place on a weekly basis in Nerima. Giant manifestations of a fighter's battle aura that appeared on the news, conjuring a tornado in the middle of the school's baseball field, and the leveling of a mountain had all been entertaining (though Ranma had nearly lapsed and had gotten fairly depressed and angry when recalling the Amazons).

Due to the number of incidents where one or all of the Amazons were involved, the young swordswoman had learned to avoid asking about Ranma's past fights, even if they were the ones where he fought Ryoga, unless the lost boy was there himself. Still, she'd learned much of various styles of martial arts both in Nerima and Japan, and in China as well as about other martial arts traditions and the people who still practiced the dying art.

Having been raised to understand the traditions of the Shinmeiryu, Tsuruko knew that there were such things as monsters, demons, and spirits. Unfortunately the world as a whole seemed to have relegated those things into myth. It didn't help that those who knew of those things like magic, monsters, and spirits kept that information from the general public. She herself was supposed to help hide the existence of the mystical and magical.

But the Incident had threatened to expose the public to the existence to monsters and magic. Most of those who exposed the world to the existence of magic and monsters were punished by being forced to live out the rest of their lives as an ermine. Unfortunately Ranma was the victim of the Amazons, an elder known as Cologne in particular. The fact that she was now dead (having been turned into a viper before being beheaded if one were to believe Mao Tzu and Happosai and apparently acting on her own had absolved the elder's great-granddaughter of any involvement, though the girl had been sent back to China along with the male Amazon. It also didn't help that the curse Ranma received as a result of consuming the mermaid's flesh had prevented him from being additionally cursed. Though that fact actually pleased the immortal as he apparently used to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water.

With no one to punish, the governing council had decided to simply allow Ranma to be sealed away. True, he had an entire mountain to himself, but the mountain and shrine were relatively secluded, limiting who could see him.

"It is getting late, Lady Aoyama," Happosai said as he approached the young swordswoman.

It was odd to think that the shriveled old man was a grandmaster and that he had once been the terror of Nerima – stealing women's undergarments and groping women all to prolong his life through some odd formula that involved siphoning the residual ki from said articles of clothing. Though she had seen him grope Kuzunoha-sempai during the Incident, the old man never made a move against her.

Tsuruko wasn't sure if she should feel honored that he respected her or offended that he didn't think she was attractive.

"I know," the Shinmeiryu swordswoman replied. "But I'm expecting a guest tonight."

"Really," the old man exclaimed as he pulled out his pipe. "I wonder if Sakura knows about your guest."

"She only guards one of the entrances," Tsuruko stated.

As the future leader of the Shinmeiryu, she knew that one of the school's top exorcists had been assigned as a 'guard' for Ranma. To avoid being constantly groped, the experienced swordswoman had stationed herself at the foot of the mountain at one of the two shrines that welcomed those who came to the mountain.

"It must be Hinata," the old man sighed. "She's too old for my tastes."

Tsuruko smiled. _'You're too old for everyone too.'_

* * *

"Hah, I beat you!" Ryoga growled as he brushed the dirt off of his knit shirt.

The pigtailed boy simply smiled.

In all the time that he'd known Ranma, his rival had always come off as arrogant and confident. For the 'second best' fighter in Nerima, Ranma's demeanor had been irritating. But ever since the Incident, well, Ranma had changed. Gone was that confidence and arrogance that irritated others so well. Gone was the sparkle in his eyes when he fought.

In the past month the pair had fought six times – four narrow victories for Ranma, one draw, and this lone victory for Ryoga. Though their once violent fights had been seen as little more than a spar on Ranma's behalf, the recent 'spars' were starting to concern the proud fighter.

"Ranma," Happosai shouted as he waved at the two rivals, "why don't you fight Tsuruko?"

Ryoga eyed the old man, unsure what he had in mind.

Hesitantly, Ryoga walked over to the ancient grandmaster as the swordswoman switched places with him.

"What are you up to?" he asked, clearly skeptical of the old man.

"You fought Ranma and won," the tiny man stated. "But you're not happy with the victory, are you?"

Ryoga blinked. Sitting beside the old man, he watched as the elegant swordswoman attacked Ranma with her bokken.

"No," he finally replied. The victory had been hollow. Though he'd longed for a chance to fight and beat his old rival, there was something about their recent fights that had seemed, well, off.

"He's lost the will to fight," Happosai finally said as the two watched Ranma narrowly avoid a wave of pressurized air. "His body is still reacting, but his mind… his heart isn't in it."

Ryoga rubbed his chin in a rare display of contemplation. Not sure what to do or say, he could only watch as Ranma continued to dodge Tsuruko's relentless assault.

"I want you to be my heir," Happosai stated, breaking the long silence. "You're now the greatest fighter of your generation."

"B-but Ranma will get over this," Ryoga sputtered.

"He probably will," Happosai conceded. "But I may not be around when that happens."

The lost boy eyed his companion. Though he'd always looked old, Happosai rarely ever acted his age. For the first time though, Happosai looked tired.

"He's going to out live us all," the old man stated. "But I can't help him find his way any longer. The flame inside of him is died that day. Only the embers remain right now. Perhaps one day the flame will come to life again and burn brightly, but I can't wait for that. I can't guide his heart."

"And you think I can?"

"No," the old man sighed. "That is not something you can do either. All I can ask of you is to keep the school alive once I'm gone."

* * *

A/N

Yeah, this turned out to be a lot longer than I planned.

I've got an idea in my head and it probably won't head down the path that most readers think it's going to go down. Be prepared for what's to come.

Dreamingfox


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes –

No, I don't own the respective works of either of these accomplished authors. I'm pretty sure that I won't need another disclaimer for this fic.

This chapter jumps around a lot. I would have included in the prologue, but the prologue was already pretty long. This chapter does help set up the rest of the fic so please bear with me.

Please Read and Review.

* * *

The humid breeze of late summer was full of the scent of the pine grove as the swordswoman watched the two martial artists. When she'd first encountered the duo, she knew that they were powerful and accomplished fighters. The diminutive toad of a man had pressed her cousin, and he was the best fighter/mage of that the Shinmeiryu had produced in generations, while Ryoga had bested her cousin's traveling companion. Though she didn't know the full extent of their adventures in the magical world, word of their group's exploits had reached the magical communities in this world. After hearing of their exploits, and having seen Ryoga and Ranma sparring, Tsuruko knew that the rumors of the fights in Nerima were probably watered down versions of what actually happened.

"But I thought you were the heir to his school," she exclaimed as she sat beside the immortal.

"Guess not," Ranma replied as he lay back and tried to watch the clouds over the pines. "Guess there's no point in since I can't leave the mountain."

"But couldn't you start a dojo here?"

"Why?" he replied. "So that the strongest ones can try to take my head?"

"But you're not a monster," she countered.

"Tell that to the Tendos and my parents," he replied. "Oh, wait, you can't."

A slight breeze filled the glade as a slight spike in killer intent nearly overwhelmed her.

"I think I should go," the pigtailed boy grumbled as he sat up. "I don't want to disrupt their training."

She could feel the other martial artists' eyes on her as Ranma walked away.

"Ah, to be young," a sagely voice sighed.

"Lady Urashima," she replied as she turned towards the Urashima clan head.

"Just call me Hinata," the shrunken woman offered.

Tsuruko nodded.

Though Hinata Urashima appeared to be old, she was considerably younger than Happosai. At least her age only required the use of two digits.

"You're very good with a sword," the woman stated, "but not all battles are fought with the blade or fists."

The young martial artist eyed the older woman.

"Don't try to understand or judge him," Hinata advised. "He's endured more than most but even he has his limits."

"Can he be helped?" she asked as she watched Ranma walk away.

"Perhaps," the experienced woman replied. "He's got time, that's for sure, but he'll need people that are willing to listen to him."

"But if he's stuck here…"

"We'll just have to make sure that there are people who are willing to visit him. I know that the Shinmeiryu have someone stationed here to watch over him, but watching over him and talking with him aren't the same."

* * *

The cold autumn rain poured down the mountainside. Though the small cabin offered refuge from the weather, the cursed martial artist chose not to stay under the awning. Eyes closed, he leaned against the broken remains of a maple.

"Why is he out there?" the young swordswoman asked.

Her companion shrugged. Favoring communicating with his fists rather than with words, the bandana clad youth could do little but watch his former rival. "At least he's not going to get sick."

"Is that all you can say?" she asked as she shot him a sideways glance.

"Um," he put his hand to his chin, "why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"What about you?" she countered.

"I don't go to school," he answered.

The young Shinmeiryu heir blinked. She hadn't expected that. "Why?"

"Never got accepted into a high school," he shrugged. "So, why are you avoiding the question?"

"It's Saturday," she replied. "As a senior I get the day off to attend cram school."

"So you're not going to college?"

She shook her head. "I'm supposed to become the next leader of the Shinmeiryu."

"Sounds like you don't want to do that."

The sound of rain drops hitting the wooden shingles overhead filled the silent void.

"I thought Ranma said you had a girlfriend," she finally said.

Ryoga sighed, leaning against the railing. "I did. We broke up."

"Why, what happened?"

"I don't have as much time to train her pigs now that I've agreed to take over the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū," he sighed again, a distinct feeling of depression and angst filling the patio.

"Did you love her?"

"…" Another sigh as the bandana clad boy slumped even further over the railing.

"So why settle for someone who you don't love?"

Yet another sigh from the new heir of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū answered her.

"I did care for her, but I'm not sure if I loved her," he finally said. "So do you want to take over the Shinmeiryu?"

Taking a deep breath, Tsuruko leaned on the railing. "I think Eishun would have done a better job, but I think Motoko would be the best fighter the Shinmeiryu has seen in centuries."

"I think Ranma would have been the greatest martial artist the world had ever seen," Ryoga stated. "He's not the fastest or the strongest, but he's the smartest guy you'd ever have to fight against. He once was able to analyze a technique and pick out the weakness of the technique so that he could defeat a guy much more powerful that he was. He learned several Amazon techniques amazingly quick and was able to adapt them for different situations in the heat of battle.

"Compared to him, I'm just second best. Hell, I was always second best to Ranma back in Nerima. But he's…"

Tsuruko nodded, not needing to hear more. Everyone who had seen the pigtailed boy fight knew that he didn't have the burning passion for the art anymore. He didn't have a burning passion for anything really. Were he anyone else, they'd worry that he might be suicidal, thus the reason why Happosai had banned all blades until Ranma promised that he wouldn't take his immortal life.

"You're a good friend," she surmised. "You don't have to be here yet you are."

The muscular boy stood tall, sighing once again. "I sort of know where he's at," Ryoga stated. "Anger, despair, depression… I used to feel that way whenever I thought about him. I was so consumed with my desire for revenge against Ranma that I forgot about everything else.

"But Ranma, he can't have his revenge. Happosai sealed him here to ensure that he couldn't go to China and tear every Amazon apart. Cologne's already dead, and he knows that Mousse and Shampoo weren't at fault she he won't go after them."

Tsuruko nodded as she processed what he had to say. "What you did in the past doesn't matter," she finally said. "It's what you're doing for him now. You're taking up his mantle, his responsibilities because he can't or isn't able to right now. I'm sure that eventually he'll find that passion for the art and life again."

Ryoga nodded, not sure what else to say.

A sudden gust of wind ended the conversation as it propelled a stream of water falling from the awning down atop the cursed boy, transforming him.

Tsuruko blinked, not sure what to make of the sudden transformation. Though she knew that Ranma had once been cursed, she hadn't realized that Ryoga had a similar curse.

Before the cute little piglet could run away, she knelt down and picked him up. "So this is what you look like naked," she teased.

"Squeek!"

* * *

The cold winter's night stung his lungs as he took in a deep breath. The star filled night held his gaze but not his attention as he listened to his former rival ramble. It was odd listening to the lost boy go on about his relationship. It was pretty odd to think that he was getting married soon too. Though it had been, what, half a year since they'd left Nerima.

Despite the fact that several girls chased after him and that he'd been engaged to several of them, Ranma was far from an expert on relationships. Still, had he paid attention he probably would have noticed that Tsuruko and Ryoga had been spending a lot of time together whenever she came to the mountain. True, Ryoga had to dedicate time to learning under Happosai, but when he wasn't he was often seen walking and talking with the young swordswoman.

"So, you're going to wait until she graduates from high school to marry her?" Ranma asked lazily.

Seeing the other boy scratch his head and look down at the ground he could tell that his rival was uncomfortable with the question.

"Actually," Ryoga finally said, "I'm just waiting for Happosai to declare me as a master. Once I have that title I can petition her father and ask him for her hand. Since I'm to become the leader of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū she cannot be allowed to become the leader of the Shinmeiryu, so I'll have to prove myself against the acting head of the Shinmeiryu."

"Isn't that Eishin?"

"Eishun," Ryoga corrected. "It'll be a straight martial arts battle, no magic involved at all."

The pigtailed young man nodded. "So you and Happosai are going to be gone for a few days. Sakura'll probably be there too."

"I've talked with Hinata," the other youth said, "she'll come here with her grandson and granddaughter and keep you company if you want."

Ranma shook his head. "That's fine, they don't have to come all the way up here just for a few days. I'm sure her grand kids should be in school or whatever."

Casually, the pigtailed boy leapt over the railing, landing gently in the snow banks.

Unwilling to leave his friend alone, Ryoga followed suit, landing beside Ranma.

"Look, I know it's hard"

Ranma shook his head. "I'm happy for you," he interjected. "I really am. You've got a life to live." _'And I don't.' _ "I've got to get used to being alone, that's all."

Had he seen the look in his friend's face, he would have realized that his words had hit harder than any punch he'd been capable of, robbing Ryoga of his ability to speak.

* * *

Winter's lingering chill finally gave way to the warmth of early spring. The sound of breaking wood and trees falling filled the mountainside.

"Woo!" the young teen exclaimed as another mighty pine came crashing down, the direct result of a swift thrusting strike from the young martial artist.

"Don't get too close, Keitaro," the venerable Hinata advised as she put her hand on her grandson's shoulder.

The young boy nodded. Though he had learned his family's style, Keitaro knew that he was in the presence of a true master.

The sullen girl at his side simply stood silently, straining her senses as she tried to keep up with the martial artist's amazing speed.

In a matter of moments, all the trees in the grove had been knocked down, their roots completely uprooted.

"What are you planning to do?" Hinata asked as the master martial artist finally stopped knocking down trees.

"Firewood," the pigtailed young man replied. "I can also use those as lumber for the cabin, or for building a fence. This would be a good place for a summer cabin.

"Who're the runts?"

"These are my grandchildren," Hinata smiled, glad that Ranma wasn't in one of his fits. With Happosai, Ryoga, and the Shinmeiryu guardian absent she knew she couldn't handle him if he fell into one of those moods of his. "This is Keitaro and this is Kanako."

Wiping the sap off his brow, the older youth bowed.

"This is Ranma," the old woman said, introducing him to her grandchildren.

"Could you show me how to do that?" Keitaro asked as he approached Ranma.

Ranma simply shook his head. "Sorry kid, you've got a long ways to go before you can do this kind of stuff."

"Granny says that you can shoot balls of ki from your hands," the excited teen said.

Blinking, the martial artist eyed the old woman. "Well, it's been awhile since I've done something like that, but I guess I can show you." Looking around, he spotted a giant boulder. "Just stand here and watch," he instructed a he channeled ki into his right hand.

A blue ball of energy slowly formed, glowing brighter and brighter the larger it grew. Finally it stopped growing once it was roughly the size of a volleyball. With a casual flick of his wrist he sent it crashing into a boulder that was twice as tall as he was. As expected, the ball of ki struck the stone surface, sundering it into thousands of pieces.

"Wow!" Keitaro exclaimed. "That's so cool!"

* * *

Time was virtually irrelevant to the immortal. Days blended together. Only the slow growth of the various plants in his garden and the passage of the seasons helped him keep a rough track of the passage of time.

The last time he'd seen a friendly face had been years ago when Ryoga and Tsuruko had stopped by to pay respects after Happosai's passing. The old man had lived to be nearly three centuries old; a mark that all of them felt Ranma would ellipse given his virtually newfound immortality. Neither had much time to visit him since they'd wed earlier that same year. Though Tsuruko was no longer allowed to become the head of the Shinmeiryu, she was appointed as the acting leader until her sister could ascend to the lofty position.

With the dwindling number of active Shinmeiryu swordsmen, even Sakura had been reassigned. Though he had rarely met his 'jailor' he knew that she avoided the area mostly because of the perverted antics of his former master. Still, her absence had barely registered to him.

The bright morning light greeted him as he opened his eyes.

He didn't know why, but his body reflexively and automatically dressed, pulling him out of the warmth and comfort of his bed and out to the grove east of his quant cabin. The chill of the morning didn't even register as his body automatically adapted to his surroundings. Spreading his legs, he slipped into a simple kata.

He didn't know how long or even how many different katas he performed, only that the sun was now directly over his head. A light sheen of sweat graced his face while his clothes clung to his wet body.

"So," he said, the first words he'd spoken in what seemed like years, "how long have you been here?"

"It's good to see you too," the powerfully built man smiled.

"You're taller than last time," Ranma stated. "Looks like you've been eating well too."

Ryoga patted his stomach. "Maybe," he returned. "It has been three years since Master Happosai passed away."

"Three years…"

"I know I should have come by sooner," his former rival said.

"You probably got lost, right?" For the first time in a long time he smiled. It was an odd feeling as muscles that he'd rarely were once again used. Seeing the half black and white dog beside his former rival he crouched down and held out his hand. Checkers had always liked him.

"Yeah," the older man replied as he scratched his head. Pulling off his pack he set it down.

"Traveling?"

Ryoga shook his head. "I came to bring you something," he replied as he opened his pack. A light bark greeted him as he reached inside. "He's from Checker's latest litter. I haven't named him yet…"

Pulling out the all black pup, Ryoga set him down.

Checkers sniffed her son then picked him up by the scruff of his neck and brought him over to Ranma.

"She always did like me," Ranma replied as the bitch set her offspring down before him. Still holding out his hand he let the dog get a good sniff of his scent.

"Oh, I brought something else for you too," Ryoga said as he continued to look through his pack. Grabbing the box, he walked over towards Ranma. "Remember those mushrooms?"

Ranma refrained from smiling as he felt the pup's soft fur beneath his hand. "How can I forget?"

"I figure you might need them more than I do," the muscular man stated as he handed the box to his friend.

Ranma simply shrugged as he focused on the pup licking his hand and fingers. "So, how's married life?"

Ryoga again shook his head as he looked down at the ground, "It's definitely not what I expected."

Again the lost boy paused, choosing his words. "I think my little sister is scarred for life," he finally said.

"Little sister?"

"Tsuruko's younger sister, Motoko."

Ranma nodded, recalling that the swordswoman did have a younger sibling. "What happened?"

A bright red blush covered Ryoga's face.

"Never mind," Ranma said, shaking his head. Once, Ryoga would have bled profusely from the nose. Clearly he'd matured as he'd aged and settled into his married life.

"So," the lost boy said as he took a calming breath. "It looks like you still practice."

The young immortal shrugged as he reached for the box, "Old habits die hard. Want some lunch?"

Ryoga eyed his friend.

"I promise; there'll be no mushrooms in it."

* * *

The thick mist filled the air, a lingering reminder of the storms that had hit the mountainside for the past few days. It was on days like these that he liked to explore his mountain. The slick ground combined with the thick fog made every step a challenge for him as he could only see a few paces before him, forcing him to rely on his other senses as he walked along the various paths and trails.

The all black dog was the alpha of Shadow's (his sire) first litter. Though he wasn't the largest, fastest, or strongest of his litter, he was the one that had formed the strongest connection to Ranma. Shadow and his feral mate, a black wolf, had remained for a two winters before they left, leaving only Kage behind. Though they inhabited the mountain, Ranma rarely saw them in the handful of years since they'd left.

Kage was a terror in his own right. One recent trip through the mountains led to a chance encounter with a grumpy bear. Though Ranma was never threatened by the creature, Kage didn't care for being threatened or bullied around. The ensuing fight resulted in Ranma gaining a new bearskin blanket and more than enough bear meat for the winter while Kage had earned himself a nice bear steak.

That had been the previous winter. The next winter wouldn't be too far along. Despite the warm weather that the mountain currently enjoyed, Ranma knew that the winters could and would be harsher in the mountain.

Never one to farm, Ranma had chosen to simply forage for food, living off the land, though he did have the small orchards of apple, apricot, and cherry trees scattered throughout the mountain. Having enjoyed the cherries and apricots through the early summer, he knew that lack of those two fruits meant that the summer was nearly over and that he'd be relying on his apple trees soon.

Feeling one of the many apple trees brushing against his shoulder, he plucked the underdeveloped fruit from the branch. Though tart, he savored the taste.

Raised as a martial artist, he really didn't know much about farming or tending to plants. It was only through good fortune and luck that one in five of seeds that he'd planted had grown into one of the many young trees that he frequented. Fortunately the various apple, nectarine, and peach trees that were scattered throughout the mountain had been planted before his arrival. This particular tree was one that Hinata had gifted him soon after he'd come to live on the mountain.

Smiling at the faint memory, he bit into the tart fruit before freezing. Though he couldn't see his trusty companion freeze, Ranma could sense that Kage was disturbed by something.

* * *

"You're sure she's going to be here?" the energetic blond asked as she eyed the cabin.

Nodding, the young man smiled. "Yeah," he replied. _'Why is this place so familiar?'_ "This is the only cabin around."

"But you found this place right away," the other, older blond grinned.

Looking around the clearing, he eyed the decrepit and overgrown garden. From the look of things nothing had been planted in it in years, a clear sign to him that no one had resided in the cabin for a while.

"I think we should have dinner ready for when Motoko's done with training for the day," he suggested as he lead the way into the cabin.

It didn't surprise him that the place was clean. Motoko had been a very fastidious person and wouldn't have tolerated residing in an untidy shack.

"Hey," the younger blond exclaimed, "there's some char in here."

"I guess she brought some supplies with her," he replied as he took inventory of the nearly empty pantry. "She probably already caught some fish in the stream before heading out for training."

"Lots of apples and some other fruit, but no bananas," Su frowned.

Chuckling at the foreign girl's obsession with bananas, he eyed the indoor fire pit. "Why don't we get started with dinner?"

Between the three of them it didn't take too long for them to prepare a meager meal of fish and rice. A light fruit salad kept the pair of blondes busy while the ronin prepared the meal.

Putting his finger to his lips, he urged the girls to remain quiet as gentle footsteps announced Motoko's approach. Smirking, he could hear her muttering to herself though he couldn't make out exactly what she was saying until she reached the door and began to slide it open.

"…I suppose I should go catch some fish for dinner," the swordswoman said.

"Don't worry about it," Sarah beamed.

"We've got it covered," Su finished as she waved at the older girl.

"Aaaahh!" Startled, the swordswoman nearly fell over.

Regaining her footing, she stomped over towards the trio, "How on earth did you find this place?"

"Motoko!" Keitaro cried out as she drew her blade.

Rather than turning on the trio though, the swordswoman turned towards the clearing outside as a fierce barking and howling filled the night air. "Get behind me," she urged, all thoughts of them invading her privacy gone.

Needing no further urging, Keitaro pulled the two younger girls behind him, shielding them in case something went wrong.

"Who are you?" the Shinmeiryu swordswoman demanded.

Craning his neck, he looked over her shoulder, spotting a figure approaching them with a large dog by his side.

"Who am I?" a harsh voice replied. "Who am I? Who are you? You're in my house!"

Beside him the dog continued to growl as it bared its fangs.

A faint memory surfaced within the ronin, prompting him to take a step towards the door. "A friend of mine lives here," he stated.

"I ain't got many friends," the man replied.

"Six years ago he cleared the area," Keitaro insisted. "I was too young and too slow to see what exactly he did, but he knocked down several trees with his bare hands. He also showed me an incredible ki attack."

Motoko stood straight as she listened. _'Ki attack?'_

"Keitaro? Hinata's little grandson?"

Despite the situation, the ronin couldn't help but blush. "Yeah," he replied.

Patting the dog's head, the young man before him cautiously walked forward.

"You can't be Ranma," the ronin said as he noted how young the man was. "Ranma was in his late teens when I saw him - and that was six years ago. You're younger than me."

The man known as Ranma shrugged, "I get that a lot. If you're really Keitaro, than you show me the technique I taught you."

'_Technique? What technique? I didn't think he knew any techniques,'_ the swordswoman thought.

Boldly, Keitaro walked past Motoko, planting himself between the girls and the mysterious man. Kneeling down, he put his hands before him and bowed.

"Crouch of the fierce tiger," Ranma smirked. "Yeah, you're definitely Keitaro."

* * *

"Why don't you two just stay in here?" Su pouted.

"Yeah, it's going to rain," Sarah seconded.

Though the day was far from over, the fact that the grove was on the eastern side of the mountain meant that the sun set much sooner, prompting the two to men to pitch a tent in the clearing so that the three girls could enjoy the comfort of the quant cabin.

Though the cold didn't bother him, Ranma knew that Keitaro wasn't as durable as he was and would probably need additional warmth.

As tempted as he was, Ranma knew that the cabin didn't have enough room for all of them and Kage. Though Kage could endure the coming storm, Ranma didn't want his loyal companion to endure the weather.

"You can stay inside," Ranma suggested. "I like the rain, I can stay out here."

* * *

Try as she might, Motoko couldn't help but be distracted from her true purpose. Though she had sought refuge in the mountains to improve her skills with her blade as a result of her recent losses to Seta, Keitaro and the blasted turtle, she'd done little but practice beneath the water fall. But the sudden appearance of the mysterious Ranma Saotome and the fact that she was in fact staying in his cabin had thrown a wrench in her plans.

Though the others slept peacefully, the kendoka couldn't ease her mind enough to find any rest. Slipping out of Su's embrace, she made sure that the younger girl didn't wake.

In the short time that she'd known Su the energetic girl had always slipped into her bed at night. It was hard for the young foreigner. Though she wanted to come to Japan from wherever she came from, it was clear that she missed her brother and sister.

Still, that was not reason enough for her and the others to intrude on her personal time. Having endured a recent string of losses to Sarah's father, Keitaro, and to the dreaded turtle Tama, Motoko knew that she needed to rededicate herself to her sword.

The first day had gone well, right up to the point where Keitaro, Su and Sarah had appeared. The fact that she was intruding on someone else's land and house had put an added damper on her mood. The cabin was designed to house perhaps two regularly, though it could comfortably entertain up to four. The fact that Su and Sarah were still children had allowed them to push the usual capacity of the sparse cabin.

Looking back at the past few months, the swordswoman couldn't help but think that Keitaro was the source of her problems. Since he'd come to the Hinata Sou his antics had forced her to be on her guard constantly. Unable to dedicate herself to her blade for fear that he would force himself on one of the younger girls; she'd apparently allowed her skills to diminish to the point where Keitaro and the stupid turtle were able to best her.

'But Keitaro's trained with Ranma.'

The thought came out of nowhere. Looking at the half-wolf as it lay between Keitaro and Sarah, the swordswoman couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious martial artist. According to Keitaro, Ranma appeared the same now as he had six years ago. But how was that possible?

She didn't know why, but Motoko found herself slipping out of the cabin. Using the pouring rain and thunder to mask her steps, she used the flashes of lighting to guide her way out of the cramped cabin.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the mountainside. In the brief moment she caught sight of movement. The powerful boom of thunder deafened her, making it all the harder for her to hear. Before her hearing could recover another flash of lightning lanced out of the clouds.

Straining her senses she caught sight of a flash of white in the night.

"What are you doing up?" Ranma asked as he landed in the mud several meters from her.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "It's storming out and you're all wet."

He shrugged. "The rain doesn't bother me."

"Aren't you tired?"

"Aren't you?"

The swordswoman refrained from growling, though she did reach for the hilt of her blade. She didn't care to be dismissed by anyone.

"You're a lot like your sister," he finally said as lightning lit up the night behind him.

Motoko blinked, unable to make the connection.

"I almost thought you were her when I first saw you," he added. "But the last time I saw her she looked much like you do now, so I guess she was the same age as you are now."

The booming thunder filled the night air.

"You know my sister?" she finally asked as the rumbling sky momentarily quieted.

"Present tense," he mumbled, "she must still be alive.

"You must be the girl that Ryoga 'traumatized'," he smiled, recalling the last conversation he'd had with the lost boy turned married man.

For a moment, Motoko was glad that the darkness hid her face as a light blush appeared on her cheeks, the heat from it a stark contrast to the cold night air.

Though he'd spent the past couple of years alone, Ranma was still an expert at pushing people's buttons.

"So, why are you here?" he asked again.

Flustered, Motoko forced herself to meet his eyes. "When I came to the Hinata Sou she told me of a cabin in the mountains. She told me that I should come here if I wanted to train."

"Humph," he replied as he took a seat on the stone bench. "Odd that she'd suggest sending you here. You're Shinmeiryu, right?"

She nodded, glad that his back was to her.

Another flash of lightning, this one right over them, illuminated his muscled back and shoulders. Though he wore a white gi, it was soaked through, leaving it nearly transparent in the light. His pale skin blended seamlessly with the gi, though a long line of unusual characters marred his back.

"I just needed somewhere to practice," she replied.

Ranma chuckled. "If you're a true master of your art, you can practice anywhere."

"That sounds like"

"Something Ryoga would say?" Ranma finished. "He became the grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū because I…"

"You what?" she asked.

Ranma shook his head as he stood. "Nothing – forget I said anything. Go ahead; practice here as long as you need. I've got another cabin at the top of the mountain I can stay in."

Motoko blinked, unsure of what just transpired. "What about your dog?"

"He'll come when he's ready," the pigtailed martial artist replied.

"But it's raining," she protested. "It's not safe!"

"It'll make for good training."

* * *

The bright morning light shown down on the tiny cabin, illuminating the cramped quarters and waking even the heaviest of sleepers as the intense light kept them from ignoring the dawn.

Having been unable to sleep much after Ranma's sudden departure, Motoko was glad that the others had woken. It wasn't until the storm had passed sometime after the enigmatic martial artist had departed that she'd finally returned to the cabin and got a few hours of sleep. Though she was physically rested, her mind was exhausted.

"Time for breakfast," Su grumbled after noting the unsurprising lack of bananas.

"I'm sorry," Motoko said quietly.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Sarah said as she playfully pushed the older blond.

"No," the older girl said, "I'm sorry that you all came here. You don't have to worry about me. I just came here for some training, and unfortunately I can't train with all of you distracting me."

"But we came to help you train," Sarah protested.

"No," Keitaro said, a rare display of backbone on his behalf. "She's right, we shouldn't have chased after her. I know that some of us are sorry that we said what we said back at the Hinata Sou, and I'm sorry if we made you feel as though your skills have diminished. We never meant it that way.

"But if you truly feel the need to improve your skills, you're right, we can't help you. None of us are capable enough of challenging you to reach that next level. If anyone, Ranma can help you reach that next level."

"Ha," Sarah scoffed. "That's high praise from a klutz like you!"

"I may be a klutz," he admitted, "but I know a true master when I see them. Six years ago when I came up here with granny Hina, Ranma tore the entire glade up with his bare hands. He could even physically manifest his ki into a ball and shoot it. I've never seen anyone as good as he is."

"He can't be all that," the young blond protested. "He's not even as old as you!"

"Regardless of what you may think of him," Motoko interjected, "he is the closest master we have on hand."

"Where is Ranma?" Su asked, her powers of observation making a connection that the others failed to make.

"This is his winter cottage," Motoko lied. "He's gone back to the top of the mountain where he'll wait for me."

"How are you going to get up there?" Keitaro asked. "I've never gone past this cottage."

"Kage will lead me to him," the swordswoman stated. "I'll be fine as long as I have either Kage around. Besides, I'm a skilled swordswoman in my own right."

* * *

Despite her proud boasts, the long trek up the mountain had proven to be much more difficult than she'd anticipated. Though the sunlight helped, the path itself was difficult, especially considering that the there really wasn't a path for her to actually follow. Steep, sheer cliffs forced her to use muscles she had long neglected in her training, and slippery rocks threatened her footing. Had Kage not taken the time to wait for her, the young swordswoman was sure that she'd have lost her way.

The way was made all the harder as the thick mist formed less than two kilometers from the lower cabin.

It took her nearly the entire day to traverse the mountain.

"I was wondering when you'd get here," the confident martial artist said by way of greeting as his trusty companion and the kendoka walked out of the mist.

"Y-you were expecting me?" she panted.

Ranma shrugged. "There had to be a reason why Kage didn't get here sooner. He's good enough to get here in a few hours blindfolded."

"So I'm not as good as a dog?" she huffed.

"Well," he shrugged again, "yeah. But he's not your normal dog."

"And you're not a normal man," the swordswoman stated.

Not bothering to address the remark, the pigtailed boy turned towards the fire pit. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I want you to train me," she answered quickly.

"Fine," he replied flippantly.

That hadn't been the reaction she'd expected. She'd expected that he'd test her resolve and try to talk her out of it or even test her.

"But it's not going to be easy," he cautioned.

The swordswoman nodded. That she'd expected.

"Wash up then get some rest," he advised. "You're going to need it."

* * *

"You came back without her!"

The reaction had been just what he'd expected. Considering how close knit the girls of the Hinata were before he came, it wasn't a surprise that the one with the shortest temper erupted at the news that Motoko wasn't coming back yet.

"She's training!" he shouted in his defense as he body reacted. Normally reacting would have entailed him curling up and covering his head before being hit.

"Nice hit!" Su exclaimed as the auburn haired girl slugged the manager with a wicked punch that sent him flying.

"Woo!" Sarah exclaimed as she watched the ronin grow smaller and smaller in the horizon.

* * *

The beautiful red and violet of the sky was breathtaking. In all the years that she'd lived in the Hinata Sou, she'd never imagined that such amazing sight was so close to the Hinata Sou. Then again, she'd never stood atop the mountain at sunset.

"It's spectacular," she gasped as she felt the fading warmth of the last rays of light. It didn't surprise her that Ranma was unimpressed, he probably saw such beauty regularly.

Beside her Kage raised his nose, sniffing as he sensed something in the air.

"Do you hear something boy?" Ranma asked as he eyed his loyal companion.

"Aaaahh!"

Both man and dog turned towards the sound while Motoko sighed.

'_He just had to ruin the sunset,'_ she thought as the sound of the manager's voice came all the closer to her current position.

"Guess we're going to have even more company," Ranma sighed as he realized just what was coming.

Having never witnessed one of Keitaro's landings despite having launched him several times, the kendoka was curious as to how the manager would land. She'd always assumed that he was an untrained oaf, but Ranma had taught him something, even if it was just bowing and groveling.

"This isn't going to be good," Ranma remarked as he set off to intercept the flying ronin.

Not one to be left behind, Motoko followed after him.

"Not good," Ranma muttered again as they came upon a clearing.

"What?" the slender swordswoman asked as she strained to keep up with the swift martial artist.

"I can't go past those boulders," he replied, pointing to five of the giant boulders that stood around the clearing.

Straining her eyes against the darkness she noted the ropes tied around the boulders_. 'What's he guarding?'_

"Aaaahh!"

Louder than any thunderbolt, Keitaro collided with the large boulder in the center of the clearing. A giant crack appeared, noticeable even in the darkness of twilight.

"Not good," the pigtailed martial artist muttered. "You've got your sword?"

Motoko nodded.

"Cut the ropes," he instructed. "That should let you into the clearing so that you can check on Keitaro."

Again she nodded, drawing her blade. A single slash was all she needed to cut the thick, weathered rope and the wards they contained.

"Kage!" Ranma called out, summoning his canine companion.

As though appearing out of the very shadows he was named after, the black beast appeared at his master's side.

"I need you to call your sire," the martial artist said as he patted Kage's head.

For a moment the beast looked into Ranma's eyes then raised his head to the sky. A long, loud cry filled the night air.

Ignoring the half-wolf, Motoko rushed into the clearing. Crouching beside the dazed ronin she shook her head.

"Motoko!" he exclaimed. "There are two of you!"

Concern filled her face as she looked down at him. Only the sound of several howls and some growling told her that they weren't alone. Feral eyes glared at them.

"Motoko, get him out of there quick!"

Needing no further prompting, she grabbed hold of the loopy ronin. Straining to adjust to his weight, she carried Keitaro out of the clearing and beyond the boulders.

"Shadow!" Ranma called out. Extending his hand, he shook his head.

Despite the situation, Motoko sheathed her blade as she held Keitaro up.

A lone mongrel lead the pack of wolves, growling as he eyed Keitaro.

"He didn't mean to do it Shadow," Ranma pleaded. Slowly he crouched, extending his hand out to the all black mongrel.

Tentatively, the dog approached him, sniffing at the air and capturing the scent of the ronin and swordswoman.

"That's a good boy," Ranma said soothingly as he scratched the dog's head. "I know you're supposed to protect the Keystone, but he didn't mean to do it."

'_Keystone? The area was warded against Ranma?'_

"I need you to find Ryoga," the pigtailed martial artist said as he reached into his pocket with his other hand. Moments later he pulled out a bright white collar and slowly put it on the mongrel.

'He must be one of Checker's pups,' Motoko realized as she eyed the dog. Though the half white, half black dog had passed away years ago, several of her pups had stayed with her brother-in-law. If Ranma had one of Checker's pups than the bitch must have liked Ranma enough to trust him with her pup. But what did he do to gain Ryoga's trust?

The sound of the growling died down, replaced with the sound of the wolves sniffing at their estranged brother and his companions.

"Good boy," Ranma said again as he scratched Shadow's jaw.

A parting lick from the midnight black dog later and vanished into the night. Behind him the rest of the pack followed suit, leaving only Kage to accompany the three humans.

"Let's get him up to the cabin," Ranma ordered her. Standing on the opposite side, he slipped his arm around the still dazed ronin.

Slowly the trio walked up the mountainside.

"I didn't see this when I came up the mountain," she remarked.

Ranma chuckled. "Of course you didn't – Kage took you up the long way."

The return trip was definitely longer than the trip down to the clearing, but gravity had been on their side. Lugging Keitaro's dead weight up the kilometer long trail in the dark though proved to be tricky for the swordswoman as she apparently lacked the ingrained knowledge of the path.

"So," Ranma finally said, breaking the long silence, "does this happen to him a lot?"

Glad to have the darkness hide her embarrassed blush, she nodded, "Only when he deserves it."

"And what does he do to deserve it?"

"I peep on them," Keitaro chuckled. "I don't mean to – I just walk in on them accidentally when they're changing, or bump into something and end up seeing more than I should."

Ranma shook his head. "Well, I know someone who's going to need some training."

Silence filled the rest of the walk up to the mountaintop cabin.

"You should get some sleep," Ranma suggested. "I'll keep Keitaro up – he shouldn't sleep for the next 24 hours after sustaining a concussion."

Having never heard of this, Motoko nodded, bowing to his seniority despite the fact that he only appeared to be as old as she was.

* * *

The bright moon shone in the night, illuminating the mountaintop clearing as the two men sat across from each other. Never one to keep track of time, Ranma simply sat up with Keitaro, filling the time with idle chatter with the clearly confused Keitaro. With each passing moment, the concussed youth regained more and more control of his senses and mind, thus limiting the number of giggles and chuckles from the younger man.

Still, the conversation was enjoyable. After a handful of years of speaking only to Kage, Ranma found it refreshing to actually be speaking with someone, even if the conversation was a bit confusing at times.

"So, let me get this straight," he said as he handed another apple to Keitaro, "you've failed the entrance exam for Tokyo University four times but the only reason why you're trying so hard for that school is because you made a promise to some girl you don't remember when you were five?"

Keitaro nodded. "Pretty pathetic, isn't it?"

Leaning back against the cold stone chair, Ranma sighed. "No, it isn't. Everyone gets knocked down sometimes, even the best of us do. But the measure of a true man isn't that he never fails, but that he gets back up and succeeds. You've got an admirable goal set, and even though you've failed four times you're still unwilling to give up. I'm sure that with enough hard work you'll succeed."

The pair sat in silence, neither sure what to say.

"So, when's the last time you practiced the Urashima fist?" the pigtailed martial artist asked.

"Years; probably before Kanako left to stay with Granny."

"Get up," Ranma ordered the other man. "We're going to spar."

"Wha-?"

Leading by example, Ranma stood up. "You should be with it enough to spar for a bit."

Though reluctant, Keitaro stood up. Following Ranma, he stood opposite of the pigtailed martial artist. Legs spread; he planted his feet and adjusted his knees. Comfortable with his balance took a deep breath.

'_Straight left,'_ he thought as he shifted his stance for the attack_. 'I missed, not a surprise there… Right hook, left jab, sweep…'_

Ranma easily avoid the string of attacks, allowing Keitaro's sweep on the uneven ground to trip him up, sending him sprawling. "Get up," he ordered.

Keitaro obliged, again getting into the opening stance of the Urashima Fist.

A left jab, right uppercut, left knee, right thrusting punch combo lead the second assault. At the speed that Keitaro threw his punches and knees, Ranma barely had to move to avoid the blows. Only a slight sidestep was necessary to dodge the thrusting punch that propelled Keitaro out of effective attack range.

Turning around, he waited for Keitaro's next assault. "Your form sucks," he commented. "I can tell that you haven't been practicing much.

"The expression on your face tells me that you're thinking about your moves before you even do them."

Nimbly dodging a flying spin kick, Ranma slipped behind Keitaro. "You can move, but you put too much thought into it. Martial arts are about expressing yourself through our actions and movements, not about winning or losing."

Keitaro nodded, rushing in with a front kick. "I'm not a martial artist," he grunted.

"Martial arts aren't just about a way to win a fight," Ranma replied as Keitaro lashed out with straight right-left combo, "it's a personal philosophy in how to combat the obstacles that you encounter in life."

The ronin paused, absorbing the other man's words. "That's kinda deep."

The pigtailed youth smiled, "Yeah, it is, isn't it. I guess I've been reading the Tao of Jeet Kune Do too much. Still, it's true.

"There are sometimes when you should think hard about things, but most of the time, you just need to do what feels right," he added sagely. "If you think about running too hard, you're going to forget to factor in the ground around you; if you think too hard about the ground around you, you're going to forget about the race you're running."

Eyes closed, he turned his face to the night sky. A deep breath before a long, drawn out exhale later and he opened his eyes, refreshed. "I think it's about time I get back to running."

* * *

"Aaahh! Stop, please, stop!"

The sound of Keitaro screaming woke Motoko. Reflexively she reached for her blade. Sitting up, she felt the cold, chilly morning air on her bare flesh. For a fraction of a moment she considered her options - get dressed or save Keitaro? The desire to preserve her modesty won out as she quickly dressed before exiting the cabin.

"Stop!" Keitaro screamed as he ran after Kage.

"If you've got enough breath to scream you're not running hard enough," Ranma commented. "Faster Kage!"

Motoko blinked, not sure what to make of the scene.

"Breakfast is on the fire," Ranma said without turning to face her. "Eat quick but light. I don't want you throwing up your breakfast later."

The swordswoman did as instructed, still not sure what she'd gotten herself into.

"Ready?" Ranma asked, nearly an hour later.

Tentatively she nodded.

The pigtailed martial artist stood beside a giant pile of stones with a bokken in hand.

"Here," he said as he threw the wooden blade at her. "I don't want to break your katana."

Though skeptical of the claim, she accepted the substitute blade. No sooner was it in her hands then she saw him flick several walnut sized stones at her. Acting on pure instinct she swatted the offending stones away.

"Good," Ranma replied as he added more stones to the mix, sending them at her at unbelievable speeds. "The ultimate technique is no technique."

The steady sound of stone against hardened wood filled the air as hundreds of stones came flying at her. Slowly the tempo, number, and velocity increased.

"Stand your ground," Ranma ordered as his hands moved at speeds that she couldn't keep up with.

Shaking her head so that the beads of sweat wouldn't get into her eyes, Motoko felt the first what would be hundreds of stones that hit her. Unwilling to give up so soon, she endured the hit, swatting away several more stones with a series of slashes.

This was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

The unrelenting sun shone down on them, draining their already exhausted bodies as the pair of trainees/students leaned against the cool surface of the hard stone bench.

Though he wanted to protest, Keitaro lacked the energy to do so. He was sure that he'd run further than any ultra-marathon runner in their entire lives. Hell, he'd probably run more than Forest Gump had and that was in only two days. The fact that he was tied to a monstrous wolf didn't help, though he had at least been able to avoid being dragged other than when he'd tripped.

Mustering his remaining strength, he eyed his fellow torture victim.

Months ago he would have been hard pressed to think of any martial artist that was better than Motoko. Having tasted her unforgiving blade he had thought that he was an expert on receiving a beating. But watching her endure the relentless pelting that Ranma unleashed, he had to admit that she was definitely not in his league. Though it could be argued that he was only throwing stones at her and wasn't swinging a sword, the fact that he had several thousand stones and only used perhaps a hundred was impressive. His lightning quick hands managed to snatch the stones out of the air then send them flying back at Motoko at unbelievable speeds. Even though Keitaro couldn't see the other martial artist's hands or arms, he knew what was happening.

Still, Motoko had improved, graduating from the small walnut sized stones to fist sized ones on the second day. This morning she'd had to fend off stones the size of her head as Ranma pushed her to add power to her swings as well as increasing her hand speed.

"Eat up," Ranma said with a smile as he threw them bread with generous amounts of honey and fruit.

The two quickly obliged, wolfing down the food in a matter of seconds.

"Drink," he ordered them as he set down two large cups of water.

Again, they did so.

"Be ready," he advised before vanishing.

A chill ran down their spines.

An hour later, the two wondered where their sensei had run off too.

"Do you hear that?" Motoko asked, a distant buzzing reaching her ears.

Keitaro nodded as he licked the last of the honey from his fingers. Holding his sticky fingers before him, he blinked.

"Damn," he cursed as his mind made the connection.

Motoko blinked as well, glancing at his fingers then at the direction of the sound. "Damn."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things there.

Dreamingfox


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes –

I'm writing this to feed my own ego and to test my ability as a writer. Feedback would be appreciated but isn't necessary, but it is more likely to get more chapters posted.

Please Read and Review.

* * *

Despite his extensive years of study, Keitaro never realized just how many muscles there were in his body. The only reason he knew of those muscles now was because each and every fiber of muscle ached.

And though his body protested the strains placed upon him, he knew that he couldn't stop. It wasn't a matter of his body being unwilling and unable to do what was asked of him - it was a test of his character.

The various exercises, kata, and insanely difficult training that Ranma subjected both Motoko and him to were not just about pushing them physically, it was also meant to break them mentally. How else to explain the fact that Ranma had tied him to a half-wolf and forced him to run around the mountain? Or having to defend himself from hundreds of bees? What person in their right mind would willingly subject them to such rigors? No, it wasn't training, it was torture. Yet there was something to that madness… something that Keitaro just didn't comprehend.

Unfortunately task of comprehending the madness was made all the more difficult as the ronin tried to overcome the overwhelming pain that currently defined his very being.

The smell of freshly roasted chestnuts greeted him, reminding him of his current situation.

"You leave them in any longer and they're going to be nothing but ash," Ranma stated as he deftly reached into the fire and snatched several perfectly roasted nuts, cracking them with his powerful fingers even as he extracted them from heat of the fire pit.

"You're a monster," Motoko exclaimed as she eyed the morsel of food that the pigtailed boy threw into his mouth.

"Hey, it's not that hard," he shrugged.

"Not everyone has your tolerance for pain," an unexpected voice proclaimed.

"Long time no see," Ranma said without even bothering to turn to face the shadowy figure that approached the campfire. With a casual flick of his wrist, the pigtailed martial artist flung the remains of a chestnut into the fire, knocking out another chestnut and sending it flying towards the newcomer.

"Sorry about that," the tall man said, his powerful figure becoming all the more evident as he approached the warm light.

His eyes slowly adjusting to the night, Keitaro eyed the stranger. A sudden flicker of the flames though brought his attention to a second figure standing just behind the first.

"So, I see you've come here for some training," a feminine voice interjected.

Beside him, Motoko sat up, straightening her back and going rigid as she eyed the two new comers.

"Ryoga, Tsuruko," the pigtailed martial artist said as he stood up.

"You're doing well," the older swordswoman stated as she emerged from the darkness to stand beside her husband. "You've aged well."

* * *

"You've aged well," the elegant swordswoman stated as she greeted her sister.

To a less observant person, the remark might have been interpreted as being intended for Ranma considering that he had addressed both the swordswoman and her husband. But his skilled and disconcerting eyes had seen that her eyes were squarely locked on her younger sister.

"Why don't you two eat in the cabin," Ranma suggested, placing his hand on the ronin's shoulder, dismissing him and Motoko even as he approached the older couple.

It didn't take long for the two youngsters to leave despite the apparent reservations they had at their sudden dismissal.

"It's been, what, six years," the pigtailed immortal said as he eyed the others. "A lot's happened in six years."

"It seems like a lot has happened in the past few days," Tsuruko said as she finally turned to face him. "We've seen the Keystone, or at least the remains of it. What exactly happened?"

"Someone punted Keitaro," Ranma replied.

Having never seen the insanity of Nerima, the former heir of the Shinmeiryu appeared fairly skeptical of such a claim. "Someone came up the mountain and kicked the Urashima heir into the Keystone while avoiding the guardians and bypassing the wards?"

"Sorta," he replied. "But I don't think she came up the mountain at all. From what I can tell, he was in the Hinata Sou when received a one-way ticket up the mountain to retrieve the 'lost lamb' of his."

Judging from the slight smirk on his former rival's face, it was clear that someone had an idea of what happened.

"Looks like someone's following in Akane's footsteps," Ryoga added.

Though she had never met the youngest Tendo daughter, clearly her husband had informed her of his former crush and Ranma's former fiancée. Word of her legendary feats of strength and violence towards her fiancé had reached the elegant swordswoman's ears. "So you're going to take on three students?"

Ranma smirked, "If she's anything like Akane, I doubt she'll accept. But who knows – a lot has changed since Nerima."

"So, you're ready to take on students?" the muscular fighter asked.

Ranma paused as he considered that option.

"But they're the heirs to their respective schools," Tsuruko interjected, preventing him from answering.

Ranma nodded. "I'm not going to train them - I'm going to train with them. I'm sure that both of you have spent the past ten years improving yourselves and your skills. I might be able to kick your asses still, but I need to sharpen my own skills – and not just my martial arts skills."

Seeing the look on his former rival's face, it was clear that he was intrigued by what he'd heard.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Tsuruko asked.

"I'm going to try to get into Tokyo University," he replied before shaking his head. "No, I'm going to become a Tokyo University student. I'm going to take the entrance exam and pass it."

The swordswoman took his measure for a moment then locked eyes with him. "You sound pretty confident."

"Hey, I'm the best for a reason," he shot back. "But just because I'm a martial artist doesn't mean that I can't also be a scholar. Besides, Happosai traveled the world as he developed the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū – if he can do that, then I should be able to get off this little mountain and at least get an education."

For a moment Ryoga appeared to consider his words. True, he had expected Ranma to focus on just the arts, but in this day and age there was only so far it could take him. Then again, given his immortality, getting a proper education would help him adjust to the world as it changed around him.

"You make a good argument," he finally said as he eyed his former rival. "But I need to know if you're ready to leave here."

Rolling his neck, he approached the fire. The sound of his joints cracking was a clear indication of what he was thinking.

"Figures," the pigtailed one replied. "Sometimes the best way for us to have a conversation is with our fists."

Both men grinned, each eager to test their skills against the other.

With blinding speed, Ranma dashed in, catching his larger opponent with a snapping head kick to the temple.

"You're still slow," he quipped as he flipped through the air, avoiding Ryoga's counter punch.

"Ha!" the grandmaster shouted, shrugging off another kick to the top of his head. "My son hits harder than you!"

"Well, if his head's as hard as yours I'm not surprised," Ranma taunted as he flipped over and behind Ryoga. With his blows to the other man's head having little to no effect, Ranma quickly altered his tactics, attacking his opponent's knees and legs to disrupt his stance and power.

A spinning back-fist forced him to break off the attack while allowing Ryoga to plant his hand into the ground, restoring some semblance of balance to the taller fighter.

Planting his own hands into the ground, Ranma lashed out, connecting with a double kick to the side of Ryoga's head. Pushing off of the ground he sprang to his feet even as his former rival flipped in the air.

Landing gently, Ryoga stood his ground as he eyed his rival. Despite the fact that he'd spent the past decade training and fighting virtually every day, he knew that fighting Ranma would be a tall order. True, Ranma hadn't learned anything new over the past decade, but he was still as good as he had been ten years ago. Ranma was always a clever one, and even after a decade Ryoga doubted that he could match wits with him. Though his body was that of a 17 year old, the pigtailed martial artist had the beginnings of more powerful muscles while also retaining the flexibility and durability of a growing teenager without the awkwardness of having his center of gravity disrupted. It really was like fighting that same Ranma from years ago.

But the years had been kind to him as well. A late growth spurt had gifted him with increased strength, reach, and durability that Ranma couldn't match. He'd accepted the loss in overall speed but had managed to increase his hand and foot speed, allowing him to at least see Ranma's punches even if he couldn't necessarily react to them in time.

Smiling, he rushed in. He'd show Ranma who the grandmaster really was.

* * *

'_He's not here to maintain the seal, he's the one who's been sealed,'_ she deduced. _'That's why he wasn't allowed to enter the clearing and why Ryoga left Checker's pup to guard it. But why was he sealed?'_

The question nagged at Motoko as she sat in the tiny cabin. _'Something doesn't add up.'_

The sound of not too distant fighting reached her ears. Quickly standing up she put her hand on her sword as her other hand pulled the door open.

"Motoko," Keitaro cried out as he rushed to stop her. "Where are you going?"

"They're fighting," she hissed.

He nodded. "Whatever it is it's between them. They can handle themselves."

Though reluctant, she knew he was right. Her sister was the most feared Shinmeiryu swordswoman in generations and Ryoga was the grandmaster of the upstart Musabetsu Kabuto Ryu… wait… hadn't Ranma said something about Ryoga becoming the grandmaster? Had there been a dispute over who would be the heir to the school? The founder of the school had two prior students, both of whom had died ten years ago, and he never did have his own children… could it be that this Ranma Saotome had killed the others in an attempt to position himself as the next grandmaster? There had been a terrible fight ten years ago in Nerima that had resulted in the death of a few notable fighters and their families. Had Ranma played some part in that tragedy?

'No, he's too young,' she thought as she watched the younger fighter dodge her brother-in-law's punch. 'Yet he's fighting Ryoga on nearly equal terms. True, he lacks Ryoga's power, but he's much faster. I can't even see his hands move.'

Engrossed by the fight, she soon forgot all her concerns and thoughts regarding Nerima.

"They're smiling," Keitaro remarked as he stood beside her.

The swordswoman blinked. "What?"

"They're smiling," he repeated. "They're enjoying this fight. See? Ranma's grinning like a madman and even your brother-in-law is smirking – and he's the one who's getting punched and kicked!

"Maybe there's something to his training…"

She looked at the ronin beside her, noting his blackened fingers and swollen body from where the thousands of bees had stung him.

"Well, maybe," he repeated in a less convincing voice. "I'm not anywhere near your level, so it's probably not a surprise that I can't even see his hands moving. I didn't even see them moving when he was throwing the rocks at you."

Slowly, she turned to follow the fierce fighting. As loathed as she was to admit it, she hadn't been able to keep up with Ranma's amazingly quick hands either. But the speeds he'd used against her were nothing compared to what he was using now.

"Give it up Bacon-breath!" Ranma grunted as he pinned Ryoga's arms to his side. Powerful arms struggled against powerful legs before Ryoga finally relented, unable to break the vice grip the smaller fighter had on him. Leaning forward, he suddenly plunged back, slamming his opponent into the unforgiving ground.

"HA!" the muscular fighter shouted even as he fought to get more air into his lungs. "It'll take more than that to beat me!"

Undeterred, Ranma slammed his hands into opposite sides of his opponent's head, cuffing his ears and disrupting Ryoga's balance.

In response, Ryoga slammed his head into Ranma's chest, knocking the air out of his lungs even as he pushed hard and ground his former rival into the broken stone.

"Y-you're too stubborn for your own good," Ranma grumbled as he grabbed Ryoga's ear and twisted.

"OOOWW!"

Grabbing Ranma's feet, Ryoga responded by ripping off his opponent's shoes and running his fingers under the sensitive souls.

"S-stop t-that… hehehe-hahaha!"

"Not until yo-ow! Let go-OW!"

"Ha-hahaha – no!"

Beside her, Keitaro sighed. "It's like watching little kids fight."

* * *

The years had obviously been kind to Ranma. True, he was an immortal, but he'd also experienced a truly traumatic event. What the Amazons had done to him… no, what Cologne had done to him was unforgivable. The one once easy going martial artist who rarely raised a hand to outright injure someone had been forced to fight his transformed parents, fiancée and her father. Despite his obvious reluctance, Ranma had done what was necessary back then.

But clearly, time did heal all wounds. The fire that was once burnt out had returned to Ranma's eyes.

Seeing his former rival and dear friend reinvigorated had lifted Ryoga's spirit.

"You seem pleased, my love," his lovely wife said as she caressed his cheek.

"I am," he replied. "I am. I've moved on with my life after Nerima, and now Ranma has too."

"He means much to you, doesn't he?"

He smiled. "Yeah, he does. He's my greatest friend and rival. It's good to know that he's finally moved on with his life. It won't be an easy road, but I'm sure that he'll rise up to the occasion."

"Though you may not be as young as you once were," she said as she purred into his ear, "seeing you fight today reminds me that you've still got plenty of energy for a man of your age."

Ryoga smiled, all thoughts of his friend now vanished as he focused on his beautiful wife. "I still have the energy and stamina to level a mountain."

"I'd rather that you didn't level any mountains tonight," she replied seductively. "I wouldn't want to traumatize my little sister anymore than you already have."

Chuckling, he smirked. "I'm not the one who screams."

* * *

The long trek back to the Hinata Sou had been most beneficial for Ranma. Though he could have covered the distance in half the time, he knew that Keitaro and Motoko weren't really at his level. True, he wasn't really at his peak level from a decade ago, but he was still much faster than either of them.

No, the trek back to the Hinata Sou had given him the time he needed to focus on his current weaknesses. He was still significantly faster than Ryoga, but he lacked the necessary power to actually harm the muscular fighter. Though he was immortal, his fortitude and durability were questionable as Ryoga had managed to rock him when he'd been slammed into the ground. True, it was Ryoga, but there were other fighters who were probably just as strong if not stronger than his former rival.

Yes, he'd definitely have to work on his strength and durability as speed would only take him so far. But he could wait to start that.

Now, now he had other pressing matters to deal with.

"Everyone," Keitaro said as the young manager stood before the gathered girls, "this is Ranma Saotome. He's going to be staying here now."

"What?" an auburn haired girl exclaimed. "This is supposed to be an all girls dormitory! You're allowed here because you're the manager."

"Actually, I checked granny Hinata's register, and he's listed as a tenant," a tall brunette stated. Wearing a plain brownish gray outfit with a white apron, it was clear that she had some hand in maintaining the dorms.

"What?" another woman exclaimed.

"A 'Ranma Saotome' is listed in the books," the first woman explained. "Granny bought some land from him nearly six years ago."

Ranma nodded, recalling the little tidbit. "Yeah, she bought my family's mountain, and I guess that means the cabins as well. I needed someone to take care of the property taxes and all since I didn't get off the mountain much."

The other girls looked at the first woman as she nodded, "Granny, being the keen business woman she is, bought the land at a great discount, agreeing to allow Saotome to keep their rights to use the land for residential purposes and to build a dojo in the future in exchange for a hefty sum of money as well as allowing him to stay at the Hinata Sou. Officially he's listed as a minority owner of the Hinata Sou – thus he has the rights to use the Hinata Sou."

Ranma simply shrugged, not sure what else he'd signed on for six years ago.

"Thanks Auntie Haruka," Keitaro said, only to have his head smacked by the older woman.

"It's Haruka," she stated, her unlit cigarette still in her mouth, "just Haruka."

Seeing the ronin pick himself off the floor, Ranma wondered what sort of trouble Keitaro could get into.

"You've met Kaolla Su," Keitaro said as he introduced him to the dark-skinned blond. "She's in room 301."

"Hiya!" the foreigner exclaimed as she waved happily.

"Hey," he replied with a smile. The fact that she literally clung to Motoko suggested that the two were very close. Then again, she had come with Keitaro and the other blond girl just to keep Motoko company after her hasty departure.

"You've already met Motoko – she's in room 302."

Ranma nodded, mentally filing the information away.

"This is Mitsune Konne."

"Please call me Kitsune," the busty brunette stated with an overly sweet tone.

"She's in room 205."

Never one to pick up on the subtle body language of women, Ranma failed to realized that she was purposely trying to give him a good view of her ample cleavage as she leaned forward and blew him a kiss.

"This is Shinobu Maehara."

The timid girl nodded, quickly averting her eyes as Ranma gave her an appraising look. Of all the girls, she was perhaps the second or third youngest. It was hard to tell if she was as old as Su, but he guessed that they were roughly the same age.

"She's in room 201."

"Hi," he said softly, hoping not to scare her off.

"Nice to meet you," she replied.

"And this is Naru Narusegawa," Keitaro said as he approached the auburn haired girl who had protested earlier.

His eyes following Keitaro, Ranma opened his mouth to warn the ronin of the banana peel. Before any sound could escape his lips, the klutzy ronin stepped on the skin and slid, bumping into the smaller Shinobu even as he reached out to catch himself. Fortunately he managed to catch something. Unfortunately that something was rather round and firm and attached to a now irate Naru Narusegawa.

"You bastard!" the angry auburn haired vixen growled. "First you grab me and then you try to molest Shinobu! What kind of impression are you trying to give him?"

A stiff uppercut sent Keitaro flying through the open window of the lounge and into the sky.

Despite himself, Ranma couldn't help but whistle. Having been sent flying before, he knew just how much force was needed to accomplish such a feat. _'Man, Akane's got nothing on her.'_

* * *

"This is your room," Keitaro stated as he slide open the door to room 203. "It's right beside mine, and Shinobu's is down the hallway. Kitsune's is around the corner."

Ranma nodded as he stepped into the dark, dusty room.

"Granny left me a note to not disturb this room," the ronin stated as he watched the new resident examine his room.

Again Ranma nodded in silence, taking in the room. Several small boxes contained all his worldly possessions from his past life where as everything in the mountain cabins contained things that had come into his possession since being sealed away on the mountain. The walls were bare except for a thick layer of dust. In the corner stood the only piece of furniture – a single stand that displayed his mother's still sheathed sword.

Feeling Kage rubbing his head against his leg, Ranma smiled.

"If you"

He shook his head, "No," he said, cutting Keitaro off. "I'll clean it up myself."

Behind him, Keitaro nodded. After a moment of silence, the manager and Kage left the room.

Taking a deep breath, he tried not to cough as the dusty air filled his lungs. Grabbing two towels, he tied one over his mouth and nose. With the window open and the door closed, he wet the second towel before setting himself to the task of removing all the dust from his room.

It didn't take long for him to finish that task. Opening the first box, he eyed the contents – martial arts techniques that his father had passed onto him. These he would have to hide away, possibly even make new copies of them for Ryoga.

With a sigh he set the box down. Closing it up, he moved onto the next box. A bundle of letters lay atop hundreds of photos.

'_Pops must have written these when we were on our training journey.'_

Setting the bundle aside, he eyed the photos. Pictures of his father and mother when they were still a newlywed couple or in the infancy of their courtship brought a slight smile to his face. A few faded pictures of them holding him as an infant were added to the mix towards the bottom of the pile.

A slight lump filled his throat. Swallowing, he set the pictures back in the box. Grabbing hold of the letters, he sighed before putting them back.

The third and final box wasn't really a box, more of a package. Looking at it, he knew what was inside of it. Taking a deep breath, he set the package on the bare shelf.

Not bothering to look at it, he slid the door to his room open.

His faithful companion walked over to him, nuzzling his leg with his head.

"Hey," he said, reaching down and patting the mongrel's head. "Let's go get downstairs."

* * *

She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but dislike the newcomer. It annoyed her to no end that the others seemed to accept him so easily. Even Motoko had accepted him, and she'd resisted Keitaro's presence as the manager the longest of all the residents.

It wasn't that he was a man, no, nothing as insignificant as that, no, she disliked him because he was hiding something from them. Maybe the others hadn't caught onto it yet, but Ranma had some deep, dark secret that consumed him. Though he did a good job hiding it, it was clear that he wasn't being completely forthcoming about something, and perhaps it hadn't been something broached in the days that Keitaro and Motoko had spent with him, but they'd been busy with training.

True, she really hadn't had much time to spend with him since he'd come to the Hinata Sou, but dinner would prove to be the perfect opportunity to discover his secret.

Watching this so-called master martial artist in the kitchen with poor, little, defenseless Shinobu though made her all the more skeptical of him.

"Wow," the younger girl exclaimed, "you're really good with a knife."

"I had to learn to cook for myself and my pops when we were traveling," the newest resident of the Hinata Sou said with an awkward smile. "I've had to catch, skin, and gut ducks, chickens, rabbits, turtles, fish, bear – pretty much everything."

"You caught a bear?" the sweet young innocent asked, clearly startled.

Ranma shook his head, "No, Kage took it down. Tackled the beast and knocked it over a cliff. I had to lug it back up to the cabin though."

Hearing his name, the all black mongrel looked up, almost hoping to get a scrap of food from the impressionable girl.

"Down you big oaf," Ranma ordered as he eyed the dog. "Don't spoil him Shinobu; otherwise he's just going to keep coming to you for food."

The large dog lay his head down on the floor, glancing up at Shinobu with pleading eyes. The fact that Tama-chan was laying on his head made the sight all the more irresistible to the young maiden.

"Aw, here you go Kage," she said, throwing him a slice of meat. Grabbing a piece of lettuce she held it out for Tama-chan as well. "Here you go."

"You're gonna spoil him," Ranma cautioned.

"We've got enough for everyone," the younger girl said with a warm smile.

Still shaking his head, Ranma grabbed hold of the large tray full of food, easily lifting it and setting it onto the table. Between Ranma and Shinobu, the dinner table was quickly set. The smell of the deliciously cooked food drew the rest of the residents down to the kitchen in a matter of minutes.

"Hmm, that smells delicious!" Kitsune declared as she took a deep breath before seating herself.

Taking her normal seat next to the end of the table, Naru waited for Keitaro to take his usual seat at the end.

"Why don't you guys eat without us," Keitaro suggested as he grabbed a plate.

"What?" several of the girls exclaimed. "But this is the first meal together since you guys got back."

"I know, but it's only one meal," the ronin replied. "I promised Ranma that I'd go over some of the cram school stuff since it starts up next week."

"What, you're going to try to get into Todai too?" Naru exclaimed. "But you're…"

"I'm actually older than I look," Ranma replied as he took a plate of food.

"There'll be plenty of time for you all to get to know Ranma," Keitaro added as he led the other man towards the door to the kitchen. "But we've only got a few days to get Ranma enrolled at the cram school."

"Why don't I go with you," Naru suggested as she stood up. "After all, I'm the one with the better scores."

The feel of a gentle yet firm hand on hers suddenly drew her attention. Glancing at the kendoka sitting opposite of her, she eyed Motoko as she shook her head.

"Why don't you come up after you're done eating," Keitaro countered. "We'll probably still be studying anyways, and I have to make up for the last few days that I wasn't studying."

Without any further interruption the pair left, Kage and Tama trailing after them, leaving the women alone.

"Why did you stop me?" Naru asked as she turned towards Motoko.

The swordswoman looked up, meeting her gaze. "Think about it," she replied. "Saotome's spent the last ten years on the mountain alone with few visitors and only a dog as a companion. He's still getting used to being around so many people.

"The first night I encountered him he felt uncomfortable around us," she explained.

Su nodded. "But his cabin was pretty small too."

Naru blinked. "Wait, you all stayed in his cabin?"

Again Su nodded as she stabbed some meat with her fork.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kitsune asked as she eyed the younger girl.

Su shrugged as she put more food on her plate, "You didn't ask."

"Well we're asking now," the former teen replied.

"Well," Su said as she thought back to that night, "he was mad that we were in his cabin and on his mountain. But after Keitaro showed him that technique he'd learned six years ago he accepted us."

"Wait, he taught Keitaro a technique?" Naru asked.

The blond nodded, "'Crouch of the Fierce Tiger'."

Motoko grinned. "He taught him to bow and grovel."

"And even though it was raining he went back up the mountain to his other cabin," Su added.

"Ranma was unused to having visitors," Motoko stated. "He's out of practice articulating his thoughts to other people and hearing others speak to him. Even when my sister and her husband showed up, they resorted to fighting."

"Wait, you've got a sister?" Shinobu asked, clearly surprised by the news. "And she's married?"

The kendoka nodded. "Yes. My brother-in-law is the grandmaster of Ranma's school, though both of them learned some of their techniques from various other masters as well as from the founder of the school.

"Though I may not be on the best terms with my brother-in-law, I trust his judgment. And he trusts Ranma."

Unable to contradict such a statement, Naru dropped the subject.

"He's gotta be loaded," Kitsune stated. "His family owns a mountain and they sold it to Granny Hina, so they've got to have some serious cash."

"Possibly," Motoko added, "Haruka did say that he's allowed to open a dojo if he wanted to and doing so would require a hefty sum of money."

* * *

"What have you been doing for six years?" Keitaro exclaimed as he graded Ranma's mock exam.

"Well, I haven't gone to school in over ten years," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "But I'm a quick learner when I'm motivated."

"Well, you better get motivated, and fast," the ronin stated as he handed back the exam. "I haven't seen scores like this since before I came to the Hinata Sou."

Nodding, Ranma looked over the first question. "I've done these before, but it has been a while."

Keitaro sat next to him, pulling out his blue pen. "You're definitely going to have to put in as much time on this as you did with the arts."

* * *

The pair was busy looking over the math section when Naru finally joined them. With Keitaro's door wide open, the busty auburn haired girl joined them, taking a seat next to Keitaro instead of next to Ranma at the tiny table.

"Wow," Keitaro exclaimed, "you aced the foreign language section."

Ranma beamed at the praise. "I might not be able to speak or understand it, but I can definitely read and write it."

"But your English is pretty good too," the ronin remarked.

"Well, I did spend some time around the Americans stationed in Nerima," the pigtailed boy shrugged. "But that was ten years ago so I'm a bit rusty on my spoken English."

"So why were you reading Chinese?" Naru asked as she looked over that section.

"Most martial arts styles have some ties to those developed in China," he replied. "Kung Fu has existed there for thousands of years while the furthest that Karate goes back are a few centuries. To learn some of the ancient techniques I had to learn to read Chinese."

"So you know kung fu?" the auburn haired girl asked. "Seta taught me some once, for self defense."

Ranma turned his face to look her over then shook his head. "Looked more like Jeet Kune Do to me."

"Well, yeah."

"Tradition Jeet Kune Do is derived from Wing Chun and Chan Wah-shun, both of which was passed on from master to student," he explained. "Wing Chun is actually based off of Shaolin style and had been taught to a woman who rebuffed a local warlord's marriage offer. She in turn taught it to her future husband who named the style after her."

"Now if only your math was as good as your martial arts history," Keitaro joked.

"Yeah."

Looking at the lopsided grin, Naru still couldn't rid herself of the uneasy feeling she got when he was around.

"You'd like Seta," the ronin remarked as he pulled out a text book. "He's strong enough to beat Motoko, and he's a great teacher. He teaches at Todai."

The raven haired man nodded, accepting Keitaro's word as though it were fact.

Grabbing hold of Ranma's mock exam, Naru blinked. Looking down at the scores, she understood why she had a bad feeling about Ranma. "Your scores are worse than Keitaro's."

Beside her, Keitaro smirked. "Yeah, he knows." Leaning towards her he went to point out one of Ranma's mistakes, only to knock over the pitcher of water.

"No bra!" he whispered hoarsely.

It took her a moment to realize where his eyes were glued. She could feel the muscles in her arm tensing as her hand closed into a fist. "You pervert – Naru Punch!"

The powerful blow with her weak hand knocked the ronin through the window.

Springing to her feet, she turned to the remaining male in the room. Though he wasn't looking at them, he hadn't bothered to turn away. Still angry, she wound up for another punch.

Seeing him stand up and turn away she paused. While he hadn't doused her or snuck a glance like Keitaro had, he hadn't bothered to look away until she'd threatened to punch him.

The moment of indecision was all Ranma needed to unbutton his shirt and hold it out for her to take. "Here," he offered.

Taking the red, silk shirt, she held it to her wet bosom.

With a sigh, Ranma moved towards the window. "I guess that's all the studying we'll get in for now."

Putting his foot on the window he looked out at the darkening sky.

"Where are you going?" she demanded, still slightly irked at what had happened.

"To get him of course," Ranma replied, not bothering to look back at her. "I should have him back by the time you clean up and change."

* * *

The early morning light illuminated his room, giving him just enough light to irritate his eyes. Though still groggy, he forced his consciousness to the front of his mind. In truth, waking wasn't hard. It was never hard when he saw them.

Sighing, he forced himself to sit up. Restless nights were nothing new to him. There were countless sleepless nights over the past decade, not all of them due to the nightmares. Storms, landslides, freezing cold, savage animals; all of them had played some role in keeping him awake at night.

Shaking the last of the haze out of his mind, he forced himself to his feet. Dressing quickly, he forced some of those images out of his mind. Wiping the lingering sleep out of his eyes he made his way to the door. A final look at the package on the shelf was all he needed to convince himself that he had to get some air. Stepping out of his room and into the hallway, he closed the door behind him before heading up to the annex's roof.

* * *

It was too early, much too early, for someone to be making a racket outside of her room. Groaning, she pulled her covers over her head.

After minutes of the off and on sound of someone leaping off of the hard wood flooring of the annex's flat roof she relented. Pulling the covers off, she searched the floor for her blouse. Several more minutes passed before she found one that was still clean and several more before she found her shorts.

Forcing herself into a sitting position, she pulled them on, only to realize that she'd put them on the wrong way. "Damn."

By the time she'd finished dressing the sound of the footsteps on the annex roof had become louder though more sporadic. Grumbling every step of the way, she forced herself to ascend the stairs up to the annex's roof. "I'm going to kill Motoko," she grumbled. "I'm going to make her drink a bottle of sake and then have Su pound on her wall the next morning."

It wasn't until she was halfway up the stairs that she realized that it wasn't Motoko on the roof but the newest resident – Ranma Saotome. Seeing the shirtless young man leaping around the roof, she watched the sweat glisten off of his well defined muscles.

'_Wow,_' she thought as she watched him leap into the air, flipping and twisting as he fought an imaginary enemy or whatever it was that martial artists did. _'He's hot and he's loaded. This could be to my advantage. _

'_Naru won't admit it, but she's got a thing for Keitaro. Motoko hates men in general, but she hasn't been as hostile towards Ranma as she was towards Keitaro when he first came here. Shinobu's just a kid but she's got a little crush on Keitaro, and Su's not a problem at all… unless Ranma isn't as durable as Keitaro… nah, he's a master martial artist so he's got to be pretty tough.'_

Distracted by the impressive display of physical strength, agility, speed and skill the sly-eyed eldest resident of the Hinata Sou failed to notice that she hadn't been the only one drawn to the roof. "Impressive, isn't he?"

Kitsune nodded. "I never realized why they called it 'martial arts' until today," she sighed. "This is truly beautiful."

Motoko stood beside, her eyes glued to the energetic young man before her. "This is nothing compared to seeing him actually fight," she stated. _'Then again, I only saw flashes of his fight in the darkness.'_

"Oh, morning," Keitaro's voice called out from the base of the stairs. "What are you two doing here?"

Not bothering to turn around, the older of the two young women simply gazed at the man on the roof.

"I guess that Ranma's an early bird," Motoko replied finally.

Nodding, Keitaro walked up the steps towards the two women. "Yeah, he did want us to spar with him before breakfast. At least we don't have to train with him anymore."

Motoko nodded, turning so that she now leaned against the railing of the stairs.

With the kendoka to the side, Keitaro knew that he had enough room to continue going up the stairs. The slight distraction cost him dearly as he tripped on the step. Instinctively he reached out, his hand caught hold of some fabric. Unfortunately the skin-tight fabric wasn't enough to keep him from slamming his chin against the wooden stairs.

* * *

Time was meaningless to the young immortal as he performed his katas, ridding himself of the visions that had haunted him the night before. Though he knew that Motoko and Kitsune had been watching him, Ranma refused to stop until his current kata was complete.

Standing on his toes, he worked his calves. Lowering himself so that his feet were flat against the ground. Taking a deep breath of the morning air, he cooled himself down.

The feel of a battle aura alerted him to the danger behind him, causing him to instinctively turn around.

"DIE!"

A swift, deadly slash sent the young dorm manager flying.

For the briefest of moments, Ranma considered moving to rescue the manager. Catching Keitaro was no mean feat, requiring precise timing and the innate understanding of physics that allowed him to twist and turn in the air to reduce their combined and opposing momentum so that they both landed relatively safely.

But the look on Motoko's face was eerily similar to the one that Akane made whenever she pounded him for speaking out about something. Considering the way the voluptuous Mitsune was pulling up her shorts, Ranma made the connection.

"Isn't it a bit early to have the girls try and kill you?" Ranma asked as Keitaro landed hard on his ass. _'I know how I survived Akane, but how the hell does he do it? Sure, Naru and Motoko aren't anywhere as dangerous as Akane, but still he's not even close to being as tough as me or Ryoga.'_ Watching as the other man pulled himself to his feet, Ranma shook his head.

"Ow," the ronin managed. Unsteadily he pulled himself too his feet.

For a moment, Ranma wondered if standing between Keitaro and Motoko was the wisest thing. Then again, Motoko was still on the stairs and several meters separated the two. Not wanting to get in the middle of things, he quickly moved aside as the kendoka ran up the remaining steps and charged at Keitaro.

Though still shaken from being launched into the air and crashing hard against the balcony floor, Keitaro nimbly rolled out of the path of Motoko's deadly slash.

'_That's not an air pressure attack,'_ Ranma noted as he observed Motoko's technique. _'That's a projection of ki into the air and directed at the target. Interesting – Kuno never got to that point with ki, but he was much faster with his bokken.'_

"Wow," Mitsune exclaimed, "he's gotten faster."

'_That speed training and running is paying off,'_ Ranma concluded as he watched Keitaro narrowly avoid the powerful waves of ki directed at him. "Hey, don't practice too long," he advised. "We still have to go to school and register me."

* * *

Breakfast had been a fairly subdued affair as most of the residents tried to make the most of their free time. With the summer holidays soon ending Motoko, Shinobu, and Su were finishing their summer homework as well as for summer camps that they had signed up for. Of the three only Su hadn't signed up for a camp during the final week of their summer holidays.

"You're going into Tokyo?" Mitsune asked as Ranma and Keitaro finished the dishes.

The pigtailed martial artist nodded. "I've got to register for cram school. I guess I also have to do some shopping since I've only got a few outfits so Keitaro's going to take me to the bank."

"Naru's coming too," Keitaro chimed in. "She needed to get some new books and some other stuff as well."

"Why don't we make it a foursome?" the sly woman suggested. "I've got to pick up an assignment from one of the offices in Tokyo anyways. After that I can meet up with you guys in the city and hang out with you before I head out for the job."

"Sure," Keitaro replied with a shrug.

It didn't take long for the two to finish the dishes.

"Now we need new dishes," Keitaro lamented as he eyed the shattered remains of plates that Ranma had flung at him.

"Think of it as training," Ranma replied. "Now I've got a better grasp of your hand speed so that next time I won't fling them as hard or fast."

"Is everything training to you?" Naru asked as she joined the pair.

"Everything," Ranma nodded. "You use every opportunity to push yourself to be better."

"So how about school?" the auburn haired girl asked.

"Well… yeah," the pigtailed one replied. "I guess I have been slacking off in that regard. But school was always so boring and I had to always be ready for a fight."

"So you were a trouble maker at school?" Mitsune asked as she joined the conversation.

Ranma shook his head. "No, trouble came to find me. Guys would show up to challenge me for the dojo sign or because they had some imaginary beef with me or my old man. That kind of thing."

The other three exchanged a glance as they walked towards the train station.

"Actually, no," Naru finally said, "we don't know that kind of thing because we're not martial artists like you."

"Yeah," Mitsune seconded.

The raven haired man shrugged. "Well, my pops and I spent some time traveling throughout Japan and China learning the art. Along the way we studied with numerous masters and challenged a few dojos. Pops was of the mindset that if you challenge a dojo you get their sign and get to close them down. Basically he was a dojo destroyer. That way you prove that your style is better than theirs and also get to spread the reputation of your style."

The others nodded, slowly processing the information.

"So," Keitaro interjected, "some of the guys who you defeated came back to challenge you for their sign back?"

Ranma shook his head. "Nah, nothing like that."

"So others who wanted to make a name for themselves came to challenge you?" Naru asked.

"Yeah," the taller man replied. "Beating up the guys who have already been beaten doesn't help at all but beating the guy that beat them, that's the way to make a name for yourself."

Again the others nodded, accepting the crude logic employed by martial artists.

"Wow, we really made it here pretty quickly," Mitsune remarked.

"Good conversation makes the time fly," Keitaro said with his usual dorky smile.

"Good, we made it just in time," Naru exclaimed as she eyed the clock overhead.

Keitaro nodded. "It'll be tight, but we should be able to stick together."

Even though Hinata was close to the end of the train line, the train was nearly packed.

"Over here," Mitsune cried, leading the others into one of the sliding doors.

"Excuse me," the usually polite Keitaro said as he took the spot on the end. The businessman nodded, folding his paper before taking a step back. Grabbing the rung next to another man, he made room for Keitaro and Naru.

Mitsune slipped in right behind Naru, leaving Ranma to take the other rung, thus sandwiching the two women between the two men.

"Excuse me," Ranma said, mimicking Keitaro.

Unfortunately the man behind him didn't have the luxury of moving over as the compartment was already packed. Four people stood in a space designed to hold three, forcing them to press together just to fit.

Having never ridden a train before, Ranma didn't know what to expect.

The sound of the doors sliding close meant nothing to him, though had he paid attention to the others he would have noticed that they were bracing themselves. The train suddenly moved, jostling the passengers, forcing Mitsune's ample breasts into his chest. It soon became painfully obvious that her thigh was between his legs as she rubbed up against him.

Having seen how the girls had reacted to Keitaro incidentally bumping into one of the girls, Ranma immediately shifted his gaze to Naru. Packed in as tight as they were in the compartment, the pigtailed martial artist knew that he couldn't avoid one of her punches, though she probably wouldn't think twice about trying to punch him.

Seeing that Naru was occupied by Keitaro and had her back to him, Ranma let out a slight sigh of relief. Still, it was going to be a long ride to Tokyo.

* * *

Few would ever dare call Naru Narusegawa stupid. True, there was a time when she wasn't very smart, but she was far from stupid.

It didn't take her long to figure out what her best friend was up to, though for the life of her she didn't know why the Kitsune was targeting Ranma. Yes, he was good looking, and very athletic, but he was dumber than Keitaro. But at least he wasn't a klutz or pervert like Keitaro.

True, Ranma wasn't remotely as cool as Seta, but he was much closer to Seta than Keitaro was. Both were master martial artists and gentleman unlike Keitaro. True, Ranma may have caught a glimpse of her wearing a wet, sheer blouse with no bra on, but he hadn't gaped at her like Keitaro had. He'd even offered her his shirt after turning around and taking it off.

Well, actually, that made a lot of sense. Ranma wasn't as much of a loser as Keitaro was and despite appearing to be younger he was only a few years older than Keitaro. Really, who'd date a loser like Keitaro when someone like Ranma was around? True, he was a martial arts otaku, but he was also willing to work on his education by attempting the entrance exams for Todai. All Keitaro had going for him was managing the inn. Oh, and Ranma did have some money – his family did own a mountain and was a minority owner in the Hinata Sou.

Yes, Kitsune's interest in Ranma was very logical. Still, it felt wrong. The two barely knew each other, and Ranma for all his strengths was still fairly naive. Hell, he'd spent a decade alone on a mountain with only his dog as a companion.

Still, it could work. In all the time she'd known Kitsune the older woman never did have a boyfriend. Maybe having one would mellow her out; maybe even reduce the amount that Kitsune drank on a daily basis. Yes, that would definitely be a good thing. But how to get the ball rolling?

* * *

Shopping… it was a word dreaded by many men. True, there were those occasional moments when shopping was actually looked forward to, but those usually involved looking at cars, DVDs, anime, manga, or other things that held men's attention. And usually that kind of shopping was done with other men. But clothes shopping, now that was the true bane of manly men.

Having been raised to be a man amongst men, Ranma did not look forward to the prospect of shopping for clothes, even when it was just with Keitaro. But throwing Naru and Mitsune into the mix, well, that would merit the deduction of several man points from his man card.

Fortunately Mitsune hadn't met up with them yet as she still had to go further into the city for her meeting. Still, that left him with a surprisingly eager Naru.

A stop to the bank had been the first order of business. The mistake had been handing Naru a quarter of his money for her to pick up extra sets of whatever she was getting plus extra copies of her old books. Yes, it allowed him to take care of two things at once, but it had also allowed Naru to run rampant with his money. With a better idea of what he could afford, the auburn haired girl was now focused in increasing his wardrobe.

"Oh, why don't you try this?" Naru suggested. Walking over to him, she presented to him a red silk shirt with a black dragon embroidered on the back. Without warning, she turned it around and held it up against his chest. "You'd really look good in this."

Before he could even protest, Naru handed the shirt to Keitaro.

As bad as things were for Ranma, things were possibly just as bad for Keitaro. Though he did not have to constantly change clothes or have Naru hold clothes up to him, the dorm manager had been given the task of being the pack mule for this foray. Burdened with three heavy bags of books, pencils, pens, and even a laptop for Ranma, Keitaro was weighed down.

At least Naru hadn't tried to press him to wear anything really bizarre like leather pants. No, she'd apparently settled on black pants (not jeans) and a variety of red or blue shirts. His personal preference for silk shirts had won out, but she'd insisted that he get some tank tops and white tee shirts.

"Um, why don't we get some lunch?" he suggested.

Naru shook her head as she picked through another rack of shirts. "Kitsune said she'd pick out a restaurant for us once she got out of her meeting."

Sighing, Ranma hoped that Mitsune, er, Kitsune, would get out of her meeting soon.

* * *

Try as he might, Keitaro was feeling put out.

His original plan for the day had been to hang out with the only other guy living in the Hinata Sou. It was supposed to be a good chance for him to get to know the newest resident as well.

He'd thought that having Naru around wouldn't be too bad as they would be able to discuss their lessons at the cram school as well as their common goal of being accepted into Todai, but seeing her fawn over Ranma as she picked out his shirts, well… try as he might he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.

Yeah, Ranma was a stud. He had looks, a calm, cool attitude, and was built like, well, a martial artist.

"Wow, they make a good couple," some random passerby exclaimed.

Though he didn't bother to turn his head to look at the guy, Keitaro did glance over at him. The woman on the guy's arm nodded. "She caught herself a real keeper."

Keitaro slouched, weighed down by the bundles of clothes and books that Naru had picked out for Ranma as well as by the discouraging remarks that the other couple had made about Ranma and Naru looking good together.

"Damn, he definitely deserves a fine woman like that!" another woman remarked to her companions.

The woman's companion nodded in agreement. "I'd share him with you."

The last woman smirked. "He looks like he could handle all three of us."

"Hell," the first one said, "he looks like he could handle all four of us!"

"Um," Ranma said as he turned towards the ronin, "need a hand with that?"

Meekly, Keitaro shook his head.

Unwilling to take no for an answer, Ranma grabbed several bags from the ronin. "Hey, don't worry, girls are usually like that when I'm around."

Not wanting to be rude, Keitaro refrained from sighing. 'Maybe he's right. I've been spoiled. As the only guy at the Hinata Sou I really didn't have anyone else to be compared to. Then Seta came and look how the girls took to him. I'm not even good enough to be compared to him.

'The same thing with Ranma – he's out of my league. Why shouldn't the girls be fawning over him? He's got looks, skill, and money – all he needs is to get into Todai and once he does I'm sure he's going to be an even bigger hit with the ladies.'

"Keitaro, you alright?" Ranma asked as he took even more bags off of Keitaro.

Keitaro shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he replied. "You're going to need your arms free for when Naru picks out another shirt for you to try on."

"Don't worry about it," the pigtailed martial artist said. "I think I've had enough shopping for today. What I'm looking forward to is getting some new anime to watch."

Keitaro eyed Ranma, unsure if he was being played for a fool.

"I've spent ten years reading and rereading the same manga, books, and with no electricity to watch any TV, much less anime," Ranma explained. "I need something to do other than study and do kata all day. It's one thing to focus on one thing for a few days or maybe a week or two, but I've found that taking a relaxing break every once in a while helps me keep my edge."

The ronin smiled. "Yeah," he agreed. "What good is spending all my time studying if I can't enjoy myself along the way? Even when we make it into Todai, I want to remember the months I spent studying as more than just study sessions with Naru."

The pigtailed man nodded in agreement.

"Hey!" Naru called out as she rushed to join them.

Both men eyed the auburn haired girl.

"What, no more shirts?" Keitaro teased.

Ranma smirked. "It looks like we're done for today," he added.

"Yeah," Naru replied. "Kitsune called, she's at an okonomiyaki restaurant."

Before anyone could say anything to object or second the idea, Ranma's stomach growled.

"I guess that settles that," Naru said with a smile.

Keitaro smiled as well, his mood brightened by the short conversation with Ranma. "Yeah, I guess it has been a while since you've had some okonomiyaki."

* * *

Judging by the looks on the faces of the trio of cram school students it was clear that they were hungry after a morning of shopping.

'_Naru, Keitaro and Ranma… Wait, weren't they supposed to be shopping?'_ the sly eyed woman thought as she noted that the trio wasn't carrying anything. _'Did they send it ahead to the Hinata Sou?'_

The auburn haired girl waved, keeping the clever woman from thinking too much about the lack of packages or bags in the boy's, no, men's arms.

"Wow," Naru exclaimed, "seats close to the bar."

"I know how to pick them," Kitsune stated proudly. "Morimoto's is arguably the best in all of Tokyo."

"It would have been better if we could get seats at the bar," Naru teased.

"Hey Kitsune," Keitaro greeted.

"You can sit over here," Naru ordered, directing older ronin to sit beside her.

"Yo," Ranma greeted, still not used to calling her Kitsune but unwilling to offend her by calling her Mitsune.

"I guess you get to sit next to me," Kitsune grinned.

The small table actually left them him sitting beside both women and across from Keitaro. Still, he technically was sitting beside Kitsune.

"Did you already order?" he asked as he claimed the seat.

Shaking her head, Kitsune looked for a menu. "I didn't know when you'd get here."

'_Not the best seats,'_ Kitsune thought as she glanced at the table. Though they were seated close to the grill, the table was set up for a date as it encouraged those seated to share a large order or for them to pick food off of each other's plates. Having enjoyed plenty of restaurants she knew that the best seats were either right by the grill or in the back or in a booth as they provided the most privacy for the patrons.

Still, this particular restaurant was renowned for great service and excellent chef, more than enough of a reason for her to pick this place. After spending ten years on a mountain pretty much all alone, Ranma would probably be impressed by having such fine food, not to mention that getting fresh seafood was next to impossible.

"Are you ready to order?" the male waiter asked.

"Why don't you order, Ranma," she suggested. "After all, I'm sure you haven't had any proper cooking for a while."

The pigtailed man paused.

"Why don't you give us some time?" Keitaro suggested to the waiter.

"Would you like something to drink?" the waiter asked, immediately shifting to his next priority.

"Warm sake," Kitsune chirped, glad to finally be able to get her drink on.

"Coke," Naru said as she looked over the drink selection.

"Water," Keitaro said.

"Water."

Nodding, the waiter repeated the drinks, then vanished, leaving the quartet to mull over their possible orders.

"I've heard that their spider roll is good," Kitsune chimed in.

Naru nodded as she checked off several items on the menu. "I think I'm just going to get something a la cart."

"So," Kitsune said as she turned to eye her companions, "I thought you went shopping?"

"We did," Naru replied.

"So you sent everything up to the Hinata Sou?"

Ranma shook his head.

"No," Keitaro replied.

The auburn haired girl eyed the pigtailed martial artist. "Ranma used some martial arts trick to store everything."

"So, what other 'tricks' do you have up your sleeves?" the sly-eyed woman asked, a slightly sultry tone in her voice.

"Too many to list," Ranma replied, clearly missing the innuendo within her question.

"Well," she smiled seductively at him, "I'd love to see all your tricks."

"Sorry, I can't," he replied matter of factly. "You wouldn't get them unless you were a martial artist or at least had some idea of the principals involved."

Before she could even think of something witty to say the waiter reappeared with their drinks, disrupting the flow of the conversation. "Warm sake, coke, and two waters. Are you ready to order?"

"We'll have the party boat," Kitsune said with a smile.

The waiter nodded, writing down the order.

"I'll have the spicy squid stir fry," Ranma added.

"Anything else?" the bald waiter asked.

"An order of seafood soba," Ranma added, finally folding up his menu.

The waiter looked around the table, accepting the menus from everyone before leaving.

"So, tell us about the martial arts," Kitsune said as she flashed Ranma a smile. "I never realized just how beautiful an art it could be until this morning."

"Well, it's not something you talk about really," Ranma stated. "It's more something you do. Martial arts isn't just about physical prowess, it's a personal philosophy that guides you in life. At least that's how I think of it."

'Wow, he's smooth,' Kitsune thought as she absently listened to what the newest resident was saying. 'But he's such a martial arts Otaku.'

Before any of them realized, the waiter returned with their orders.

"Hmm," Keitaro muttered as he licked his lips and broke his chopsticks. "This looks good."

Beside him Naru was preparing her soy sauce and wasabi.

Kitsune licked her lips as she eyed the rolls. "Try some," she offered the martial arts master.

Ranma shook his head, focusing on his order.

Reaching for Ranma's cup, Kitsune offered him some of her warm sake.

"I don't drink," he stated.

'Man, I'm losing points quick,' Kitsune thought as she set the container down. 'He doesn't like sushi but likes seafood, and he doesn't drink.'

* * *

'She's losing major points,' Naru thought as she glanced at Kitsune. 'Ranma doesn't like sushi and he doesn't drink. What can I do to salvage the situation?'

* * *

The quick meal flew by as the trio of Todai hopefuls shifted the conversation back to their studies and study habits. The fact that she wasn't one of the hopefuls though left Kitsune feeling as though she were little more than a fifth wheel.

"Well," she said, glad that the meal was finally over, "I have to get to my next job."

"Oh?" Keitaro exclaimed. "Where are you going?"

"Nerima," the sly-eyed woman replied with a sigh. "I'm going to be doing a piece on the Golden Age of Japanese Martial Arts."

Ranma stiffened but forced himself to relax. "I've got this," he said, pulling out his wallet. Pulling out a wad of bills, he quickly counted it before giving it to the waiter. "Keep the change."

The waiter bowed, thankful for the generous tip.

"You're the only master martial artist I know," Kitsune said as she eyed Ranma.

"Don't ask me," he replied, his eyes on his significantly lighter wallet. "I've been living on a mountain for the past decade."

"But who'd you learn from?" she pressed.

"My old man, before he passed."

A distinct chill kept her from probing further. Clearly the fact that his father had passed was a sore spot.

"I've got a few things to take care of," Ranma said as he stood up. "I'll see you guys at the Hinata Sou."

Before any of the others could object, Ranma was gone.

A deep sigh brought the girls' attention on the remaining male. "I know you're both curious," he said as he rubbed his eyes. "But you both have to remember, Ranma's spent the last decade pretty much alone. He might be friendly, but he's still getting used to being around people. You've got to give him some space."

* * *

A/N

Okay, I think I'll leave it there for now.

Dreamingfox


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes –

I really have nothing to say about this fic other than to thank all those at TFF who have helped me refine my telling of this story.

Just a reminder – this fic is a crossover so don't expect me to stick to canon.

It's football season! And since next year might not happen due to a possible lock out or strike I'm going to make the most of this season as a fan and Fantasy Football manager. I do have to defend my championship this year after all.

Please read and review.

* * *

Though most of the residents of the Sou were gone for some reason or another, there were still a few who remained. As dorm manager Keitaro bore the brunt of the responsibility of ensuring that the Hinata Sou was prepared to weather the coming storm. Regardless of that fact, Ranma knew that he couldn't leave all the work to Keitaro.

The fierce gusts of wind rattled the siding and shingles of the Hinata Sou, making his task all the harder. Supporting a board with his hand, he grabbed hold of several nails. His dexterous yet strong fingers held onto the nail even as he drove it into the wood of the board. Positioning another nail between his mighty fingers, he repeated the process until there were several dozen nails lining the edge of the board. Curling his fingers he, drove the nails in with his knuckles.

"How's it coming?" someone shouted.

Slamming in the last of the nails, Ranma inspected his work. "I've got the third floor done," he replied. Taking a final look at his handy work, he leapt down.

"No!"

Nimbly he landed beside Naru. "No what?"

For a moment, she simply looked at him. "Y-you just jumped!" she stammered. "From the third floor!"

He nodded. "And you launched Keitaro to the top of a mountain from here."

"Well," she blinked, not sure what to say. "Um… he, um, he's like immortal."

It was Ranma's turn to blink. _'Durable, but not immortal.'_ "So, speaking of Keitaro, where is he?"

"He went into town for more supplies," she replied.

"Oh," he nodded.

Suddenly, her fist hit his shoulder, knocking him back a step. "What? What the hell was that for?"

"You jumped off the roof!" she shouted as she wound up for another punch.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, dodging her punch. "I've got work to do!"

"You moron!" she screamed. "You jumped off the roof!"

"Actually," he said as he adapted to the flow of her attacks, "it was only the third floor."

"You jerk!" she shouted. "You could have been hurt!"

"Hey!" he shouted back. "Your punches hurt more than falling ever would! You're a fucking gorilla!"

Naru paused. "Who's a gorilla!"

Before she could renew her assault he smiled.

"But you're pretty cute," he said.

Her rage extinguished, Naru simply stood there, unsure what to do or say.

"I've got to finish putting the boards up before they blow away," he stated as he slowly backed away from her. "So, I'm gonna go now."

* * *

The sound of rattling boards and glass made the task of studying all the harder. Though Naru and Keitaro were much more dedicated students than he was, Ranma couldn't help that he wasn't as strong academically as they were. Unlike the others who sat under the kotatsu, Ranma preferred to get up and move. Breezing through the exam, he waited as Keitaro finished his own mock exam and Naru graded his.

"So Kitsune's still in Nerima, right?" Ranma asked.

"Would you let me grade this?" Naru grumbled. "And yes, she's still in Nerima. Shinobu and Motoko are still at their club's summer camps and Sarah's with Seta."

Slightly irritated by the other man's inability to sit still, Keitaro looked up. "Why don't you grab a manga?" he suggested. "I've got a stack on the book shelf on the left."

Distracted as he was about Kitsune discovering his secret, Ranma tried to act nonchalant, something made all the easier since the others didn't know him that well. With the others focused on the mock exams, Ranma walked over to Keitaro's collection of manga and dojinshi.

"Since you're up," Naru said without even bothering to look up at him, "could you get some coffee?"

"Sure," he replied.

He wasn't sure why, but something was bothering him. Chalking it up to the mock exam, Ranma exited Keitaro's room, leaving the two ronin alone.

"Hey Kage," he called out as he stepped into the hallway. "Come on; let's get something to snack on."

The mention of food always summoned Kage. Though his canine companion had been spending plenty of time with Shinobu recently, the mongrel had also developed a fast bond with the Hinata Sou's unofficial mascot Tama-chan.

"Hey Tama," Ranma greeted as the unique turtle flew around his head, "you can come along if you want."

"Myuh!"

"Yeah," he replied, "I'm pretty sure we've got some lettuce for you."

Having spent the past five years or so with no one to talk to but the animals on the mountain, Ranma had become accustomed to interpreting the intentions of his canine companion. Fortunately his ability to understand animals extended to the odd turtle as well.

Again the strange feeling that he'd forgotten something nagged at him. Shrugging off the feeling he and his companions headed down to the kitchen.

* * *

The clear night's sky belied the fact that a storm was quickly approaching as an eerie reddish light illuminated village of Hinata. But the light did more than just paint the village red. For one particular resident the unusual full red moon turned an already energetic young girl into a vivacious young woman.

A spirited Su stood atop the Hinata Sou's roof, absorbing as much of the magical light as she could even as she focused on the strange flow of energies emanating from within the dorm. The many small changes in the lives of the residents didn't explain the strange energies. Though she'd kept quiet about it, Su knew that the source of the disruption was a direct result of the newest resident – Ranma Saotome. But with the boost provided by the moon she could, no, she would investigate the pigtailed martial artist, and she'd have fun doing it.

Gracefully, she leapt off the building, gliding down to the ground below as she rode the powerful gusts of wind.

* * *

Though he had spent much of the last year studying alone with Naru, Keitaro couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Ever since Ranma had been included into their study group, their sessions had taken on a completely new feel. Between the two experienced ronin taking time to tutor the master martial artist and his steady improvement, the time they spent studying had become more focused and productive.

To compensate for their intense study sessions they had agreed to also improve themselves physically. Even though Ranma refused to teach anyone any of the myriad of techniques he knew, he was willing to work with them to improve their physical conditioning without having to rely on insane training methods. But their balancing act didn't end there as they also strove to enjoy themselves when they weren't studying or sparring/training.

While he enjoyed his talks with Ranma and enjoyed the fact that he was no longer the only male at the Hinata Sou, Keitaro couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. No longer was he the only man around and thus no longer the only one to garner the attention of Naru and the other female residents of the Hinata Sou. No longer was his free time coveted by the girls as they sought to spend some time with him.

Between the time he spent with Ranma, the training and sparring with the pigtailed master, and the significantly decreased amount of time that he was around the girls by himself, Keitaro found that he no longer needed to dedicate himself to repairing the Hinata Sou as his limited time with the girls had also resulted in fewer instances of him bumping into the girls or walking in on them thus leading to fewer punches, kicks, or slashes that sent him flying.

As much as he hated to admit it, there did exist a part of him that treasured those few glimpses of soft, silky flesh. That same part of him also savored the few moments that he was able to spend alone with the female residents.

With Ranma currently off to fetch some hot water from the kitchen (which was odd since everyone knew that Keitaro had a personal water heater/water pot in his room) Keitaro was all alone with Naru.

Stealing glances at the attractive auburn haired girl as he tried to focus on his own mock exam, he found himself distracted.

'_But this is my chance,'_ he thought as he failed to see how the numbers on his sheet related to each other. _'I haven't been able to spend much time with Naru since we went out for sushi.'_

So focused was he on Ranma's temporary absence, he failed to realize that he was pressing down on his pencil until the wood and graphite writing utensil broke in his hand.

"Something wrong?" Naru asked absently.

Glancing at his pencil then at the young maiden, he shook his head. "No, I'm just stuck on a question. I think I need a break too."

Brown eyes looked up at him as Naru scrutinized him. "I guess Ranma has been working you pretty hard," she stated. "You don't even know your own strength anymore."

Keitaro blinked, not sure how to take her remarks. "Yeah," he forced a chuckle, "I guess I have gotten stronger."

'_Yeah,' _he thought_. 'I have gotten stronger. Now if only I could work up the nerve to ask Naru out on a date. Still, this is my chance!'_

* * *

Darkness greeted him as he entered the kitchen. He didn't need to flip the switch and have the lights not come on to know that the power was out as the usual glow from the microwave and digital clock were absent. Though he lacked Kage and apparently Tama's sensitivity to light, his years of living on the mountain top without the aid of electric lights allowed him to see better in the darkness.

"Sorry, boy," he said as he reached down and patted Kage's shaggy head, "the power's out so I guess I shouldn't be opening the frig until the power's back on."

Being the hardy canine that he was, Kage didn't even bother to whine.

Turning around he guided Kage and Tama back towards the stairs. "Guess we should go check on Keitaro and Naru."

* * *

Darkness did not always bring peace and calm.

"Ack!" a feminine voice called out. "Is this a black out? Where are you Keitaro?"

"What's the matter?" Keitaro exclaimed, clearly unprepared for the lights cutting out on him.

"Turn on the flashlight," Naru ordered.

Still running a few seconds behind, Keitaro tried to think of where he'd stashed the flashlight. _'Flashlight, flashlight… where did I put it?' "_Just calm down," he urged her. "I'll get it."

Scrambling to his feet, he moved towards where he thought his desk was. Turning, he collided with what could only be Naru.

Landing hard, he found himself on his back with a warm, soft body pressed against him.

"Oh," Naru exclaimed. "Sorry, are you alright Keitaro?"

"Yeah," he squeaked. "_Naru's so close, I can feel her breath on my face… I don't know if I can control myself.'_

Unsure of what he was doing, he pushed off of the ground, bringing his lips into contact with hers.

* * *

The darkness was supposed to mask her presence. Against any normal person it would have, but Ranma was clearly not normal. Though he acted like nothing was wrong, it was clear that the pigtailed master martial artist had sensed her presence as he stopped in the middle of the hallway.

'_No wonder Motoko respects him,' _the foreigner thought as she observed his silhouette_. 'He's good, very good.'_

Seeing him continue down the hallway she wondered if he'd simply dismissed her presence or if he just didn't care that she was watching him.

"Try not to open the frig," he advised as he reached the stairs. "Opening it while the power's out might make everything spoil sooner."

"You're not curious about who I am?" she asked. Stepping out of the nook, she remained hidden in the shadows while providing him with a silhouette to work with.

Ranma stood impassively, not even bothering to turn to face her. "Kage and Tama aren't bothered too much by you, so they must trust you. Also, you're not here to cause any trouble or harm even though you radiate magical energy."

Su nodded, taking a moment to contemplate the situation. "I'm not the only one tainted by magic."

A deep sigh told her that her remark had hit home. Looking closely, she could see that he was looking up at the ceiling.

"Magic," he muttered, "is not something that I want to be associated with, yet I am. Unlike you, magic is not and never has been my friend."

Before she could ask anything else she caught the flicker of light as the power was restored to the Hinata Sou. Not wanting to be exposed just yet, she stepped into the deep shadows, vanishing just as the lights came on in the stairwell.

* * *

The return of the lights meant little to Ranma as he walked back up to Keitaro's room.

"Guess the study session's over," he concluded as he noted that Naru was no longer in the manager's room.

"Yeah," Keitaro replied absently. "I figure I should check on the back-up generator. Naru's going to check on Su."

"I guess having the lights going out on us would keep us from getting too much done," Ranma ceded. "Want me to come with you?"

"Sure."

Flashlight in hand Keitaro lead Ranma (and Kage and Tama) down towards the kitchen.

Considering the situation, the martial artist really didn't fault Keitaro for appearing distracted. Had he realized that the ronin was thinking about relationships he still wouldn't have faulted him for it; after all, he'd had little success with his various relationships.

"Can I ask you a question?" the ronin asked as the pair descended into the basement.

"Sure," Ranma replied.

As the only two male residents in the Hinata Sou, it wasn't a surprise that they spent a good amount of time together. Between living next to each other, training, sparring, and studying, they were rarely apart. As such it wasn't too much of a surprise that Keitaro asked him something.

"I know it's stupid," the ronin muttered, "but have you ever kissed someone?"

Ranma paused, slightly startled by the question.

"Yeah," Keitaro sighed. "You've probably kissed plenty of girls…"

Sadly, Ranma shook his head. "Once," he muttered, "just once."

Intrigued, Keitaro turned to face him, ignoring the generator before him.

"I don't even remember it really," the martial artist sighed. "All I remember is what everyone else said about the incident, but I don't actually remember it myself."

Keitaro blinked, still unable to comprehend things. "H-how did she take it?"

The pigtailed man shrugged. "She was too shocked to do anything."

"She didn't kiss you back or push you away?"

Again Ranma shook his head. "She just sat there, too shocked to do anything really."

* * *

A long, drawn out breath failed to calm her racing heart. _'He kissed me... He actually kissed me.'_

Pacing around her room, Naru couldn't even think of any other methods to control her heart rate. _'Why did he kiss me? I'm not his promise girl.'_

Shaking her head, she tried to get that memory out of her mind. 'I have to check on Su. Without Motoko, Sarah and Shinobu to keep her company I don't know how she's going to take the blackout and weather.'

With Keitaro temporarily out of her mind she left her room.

"Naru?"

Startled by Su's sudden appearance, Naru froze.

"Oy, you've come to play with me!" the younger girl exclaimed joyfully.

Before she could even begin to process what was going on Su was already on her back.

"Yay!" the blond cheered as she wrapped her legs around the older girl's hips.

"Why don't we play 'school'?" Naru suggested.

"Let's go see Keitaro and Ranma!" Su countered, tugging at Naru's hair as she did so. "I've got something to show them!"

Unable to think of any alternative options Naru relented. Carrying Su down to the stairs, she hoped that Keitaro and Ranma were still in their rooms. Finding their rooms dark and vacant, she wondered where they were even as Su continued to tug at her hair.

"Kitchen!" Su ordered her.

With no other options, Naru trudged down to the first floor.

* * *

"I was engaged once," Ranma sighed as he leaned against the cool cement wall.

Keitaro looked up at his companion, unsure what to say. Though Ranma appeared to be no older than Motoko the truth was that he was far older than he appeared. Talk of first kisses had suddenly turned into talk of relationships and of Ranma's past engagement as their discussion became more mature and serious.

"It was an arranged marriage," the pigtailed man stated. "My old man and hers were both students of the same master and they wanted their kids to unite the schools."

Keitaro nodded, slowly processing what Ranma was saying. "So, she was as old as you?"

Ranma nodded. A heavy sigh hung in the hair. "She's a lot like Motoko and Naru actually – quick to anger, a powerful punch or kick that was always ready to send me flying whenever she got mad at me. She was about as good as Motoko, but lacks her discipline, but much better than Naru."

"But you're better than Motoko," Keitaro remarked. "And she hit you?"

A half smile formed on Ranma's face. "Yeah, part of me hesitated to try and explain things to her – that same part of me that thought too much often slowed me down just enough to get belted by her. Kinda like you."

"Huh?"

"Well, you know how the girls belt you one after you do something stupid? Well, you over think things and that caused your body to freeze up or not react the way you want it to thus causing the accidents you were so prone to. But ever since you started training with me your body has started to react on its own without relying on you thinking. It's called muscle memory. But like I said, sometimes you think too hard about something and your body gets mixed messages from your head and from what it remembers."

The ronin nodded. "So, what happened?"

"I'd get belted."

"No," Keitaro corrected, "about your fiancées?"

"It got complicated. I had two other fiancées," Ranma said, his fists slowly clenching so that the skin around his knuckles whitened. "I never asked for it, but I was thrown into a situation that I thought I could just wait out. I was wrong and everyone else paid for my indecision.

"I see how the girls around here act around you and to you. I know those looks that they shoot you because I used to get those from my fiancées. Shinobu, Motoko, and Kitsune all have eyes for you."

'_But not Naru,'_ Keitaro lamented.

"I know you care about them all, just like I cared for all my fiancées," Ranma continued to lecture. "I got so caught up in trying to be nice to all of them that I forgot who I was. My fiancées and rivals soon defined who I was just because I was indecisive and refused to take a stand."

Again Keitaro nodded, empathizing with the other man.

"I see you and while it isn't exactly like what happened to me, it's very similar. I know you're trying to get into Todai, and it's a great goal, but why are you doing it? What are you going to do once you get there?"

Despite his intelligence and long hours of studying, Keitaro really didn't have an answer for that question.

"Aside from school, what are you good at?" Ranma asked, probing him further.

"Well, I fight."

"Yeah, but you're decades away from being as good as I am," the pigtailed martial artist teased. "I'm good at the arts because I love it. Motoko is good because she's done it for as long as she has. Despite your talent I don't see the same love of the art in you that I have or even what Motoko has."

Taking a deep breath, Keitaro nodded, accepting Ranma's criticism. "I like to draw," he replied after some thought. "My classmates in high school convinced me to draw for their dojinshi. I've actually got copies of the two books I did with them upstairs."

"So study art and writing," Ranma suggested with a whole hearted. "Just remember to do what feels right to you and enjoy what you're doing."

His dorky smile plastered on his face, Keitaro nodded. "Yeah, I will."

The two men shared a moment of understanding and clarity.

"So," Ranma said, finally breaking the silence. "Do you even know how to use that thing?"

Keitaro shook his head. "No idea. I think we're going to need Su."

"Yay!" an exuberant voice called out. "We've found them!"

The two men looked up to see a pair of shapely legs walking down the stairs. Legs gave way to a skirt and another pair of legs wrapped around the hips of the taller girl.

"Speak of the devil," Keitaro smiled as Naru and Su descended the stairs. "I was wondering where you'd gone off to."

"Su's here to save the day!" the blond shouted as she detached herself from the busty auburn haired girl. "What can I do to help?"

* * *

Despite his recent studies, Ranma just couldn't wrap his head around how technology had advanced in the decade that he'd lived on the mountain. VCR's had been replaced with DVD's and the bulky and slow computers with their floppy disks had been replaced with CDs, DVDs, and flash drives. It was odd to think that a piece of plastic no larger than his finger contained so much information.

Regardless of his limited knowledge of all things technological, or at least in regards to things invented in the last decade, Ranma watched as Su and Keitaro hooked up the generator. Watching the young mechanical genius as she played around with the older ronin he couldn't shake the odd feeling he got from her. _'She doesn't sound like the girl from before, and her demeanor's completely different. But she does have a strange aura about her. Still, she seems more the type to create some mecha to come after me rather than use magic.'_

Hearing his stomach growling, Ranma simply attributed the odd feeling in his stomach to being hungry. "I'm going to get something to eat," he said, informing everyone of his obvious decision.

"I'll go with you," Naru said, turning away from Keitaro and Su.

Leaving older ronin and blond genius to deal with the generator, Ranma and Naru headed back upstairs in relative silence.

"So," he finally said, his voice filling the silent void between powerful gusts of wind. "How'd I do?"

"Huh? Oh, you did okay," she replied as she looked up at him. _'He's taller than Keitaro too. And he's got such amazing blue eyes.'_ "You're showing great improvement."

"Of course," he grinned, always welcome to have praise heaped on him. Taking several steps away from the stairs he headed towards his room.

"But you still made plenty of bone headed mistakes," she growled as she turned away from the beaming man. Taking two steps, she recalled his mock exam. "At the rate you're going you might not pass the exam until next year. Your scores and your ego won't get you into Todai."

His grin weakened for just a fraction of a second. "Hey, with you helping me I'm sure that I'll pass the exam this year."

"Well, why don't you come up to my room and I'll show you your mistakes," she suggested. "That should deflate your ego a bit."

Rushing back to the stairs he followed her up to her room. Ranma couldn't help but notice the way her hips and buttocks swayed as she ascended the stairs before him. It was almost mesmerizing actually. _'Too bad Akane didn't act more like a girl instead of acting like a tomboy.'_

Before he could look away the auburn haired girl turned around. "Your scores are still pretty bad and you're definitely going to need to study more."

Averting his eyes, he nodded.

"Yet even though you know you need to study more, you and Keitaro spend so much time doing your martial arts."

Ranma shrugged. "You have to balance your growth, both mental and physical. Besides, the martial arts helps teach you how to stay cool and collected when you're placed in stressful situations like the actual exam."

Naru opened her mouth to retort, but after a few seconds it was clear that she had no response to his claim. "You're right," she finally said. "Maybe I should start training with you three as well."

Smiling, she moved to turn around just as the lights suddenly went out once again.

"Ah!" Naru cried out as she missed the next step. Losing her balance she fell.

Despite the loss of light, Ranma's keen eyes managed to follow the busty girl's silhouette in the darkness. Instinctively he moved to catch her. Soft, firm breasts collided with his face even as he wrapped his arms around her equally firm buttocks and knee. With his face pressed against her bosom he could hear her heart pounding as she realized the position she was in.

Slowly, he lowered her so that her feet were now on the step above his. Having seen her act like his late fiancée, he expected her to lash out at him.

"Thank you," she whispered breathlessly, still clutching his head to her bosom.

Instead, the feel of her fingers running through his hair as she actually encouraged him to keep his face buried in her cleavage forced him to gulp. The sudden return of electricity and the lights though prompted her to pull away from him, a deep blush on her face.

Releasing his face, she quickly turned around. He could hear her take a deep, calming breath as she tried to compose herself.

"I'll see you in the morning," Naru muttered, not even bothering to turn and face him. Rushing off, she left him alone in the kitchen.

* * *

The cool morning air and clear bright sky greeted the two men as they left the Hinata Sou for their morning ritual. Rain or shine, they had spent every morning in front of the dorm strengthening their bodies and sharpening their skills. With the limited space that the roof provided, they had decided that the paved ground before the entrance to the Hinata Sou was much better suited for their rigorous exercise.

As always Ranma jumped right into a kata that stretched his muscles and limbered his limbs while Keitaro just did a few stretches. After only a few minutes they were ready for something more challenging.

"Here you go," Ranma said as he handed Keitaro four 5 kilo straps.

"You do know who much that is, right?"

"Hey, I'm going with twenty times a much," the pigtailed martial artist stated as he pulled up his shirt, revealing the weights that were bound to his torso.

"I never should have given you that Shonen Jump," the ronin grunted as he accepted the weights.

"Hey, that Rock Lee kid kicks ass. Too bad he lost to Gara though."

"Man, I hope Motoko gets back soon."

Without the kendoka present for their morning training, Keitaro knew that Ranma would push him to do some insane physical training. Had she been there the two would have sparred against Ranma (who would further handicap himself by tying one of his limbs behind his back and fight blindfolded).

"So," Keitaro said once he finished strapping on the last of his weights, "what do I have to do today?"

Watching as Ranma went through a series of Capoeira moves. Clearly Ranma had taken to his PSX, and one game in particular.

"You," the pigtailed fighter said as he supported his weight on his arms while twirling in the air, "get to run the stairs."

"Morning," a soft voice called out.

Only Keitaro turned to face Naru as she left the Hinata Sou. Wearing a loose grey sweater and matching jogging pants with her thick glasses and a grey headband, it was clear to him why she was out there.

"Morning," Ranma returned as he slipped into a helicopter kick.

Keitaro simply nodded. Turning around, he set off for the stairs. Though his talk with Ranma had helped, he knew that there was nothing he could do in regards to Naru. _'I have to focus,'_ he chided himself mentally as he took the first step.

"Run," he heard Ranma order Naru.

By the time he'd reached the seventh step, Ranma blew by him. That wasn't too surprising really as Ranma really was that much stronger and faster than him. What was surprising was that Ranma was running the stairs on his hands, taking each step without missing a beat.

'_Focus, focus.'_

The sound of Naru's panting breaths behind him told him that she wasn't far behind. Not sure of what to do should he actually see her, Keitaro forced her out of his mind as he focused on his task.

Reaching the first landing he no longer heard Naru over his own beating heart. The fact that Ranma was now ascending the stairs though was very impressive. The fact that he'd reached the same landing that Keitaro was on was simply astounding.

By the time he reached the second landing Ranma had already lapped him.

In thirty minutes of running Keitaro had only managed to run up and down the stairs three times, an incredible feat when one considered how much weight he carried, but compared to Ranma, well, few could really compare to Ranma.

"Good, you're done," the pigtailed martial artist stated. Now on his feet, he was set to run the steps and work his rested legs.

'He hasn't even broken a sweat!'

"When Naru gets up here I want you to show her the standard Tai Chi," the pigtailed master ordered him. "She needs to learn how to calm herself and Tai Chi's good at centering a person."

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Keitaro nodded. Unlike Ranma, Keitaro was drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

"Until she gets up here I want you to do some Up-Downs."

Keitaro gulped in a mouthful of air. Rather than protest, he immediately stood straight up. Suddenly he dropped to the ground, performed a push up then sprang to his feet. By the time Naru had finally completed her second circuit of the stairs a small pool of sweat had formed beneath him (Ranma had already completed five more circuits on his feet).

"He's insane," Naru gasped as she clutched her side. "How can he do that?"

Keitaro shrugged. Taking a deep, cooling breath, he stood tall. "Come over here," he ordered her. "Ranma wants me to show you some Tai Chi. It'll help you control your heart beat and keep your emotions centered and grounded."

* * *

The calm skies and bright sun shone down on the Hinata Sou, providing more than enough light for Ranma and Keitaro as they removed the last of the wooden boards that they had put up over the past few days. Needless to say it was much easier to remove the boards than to put them up.

With the windows uncovered, Keitaro opened them up, airing out the Hinata Sou as a gentle breeze blew through the village.

"This is nice," Ranma sighed as he leaned back against the warm stone façade of the open air bath.

Keitaro nodded in agreement. "After a long morning of working hard, this is the best."

"Myuh!"

"What is it Tama?" the pigtailed martial artist asked.

Both men turned to eye the unusual turtle. Though normally found flying, Tama was also known to perch himself either on one of the girls' heads or their shoulder. But in the hot springs he was a completely different creature as he swam in the hot water or lounged on the hot stones while basking in the sun.

Seeing him atop the fence looking towards the building though was something new and unexpected.

Suddenly the turtle was flying across the open air baths towards the door to the Hinata Sou.

Startled, but sensing no immediate need to rush to any conclusions, the two men finished their bath.

"Where is he Kage?" Ranma asked his trusty companion.

Before the midnight black canine could even lift his head to sniff the air the sound of a body hitting the floor caught their attention.

"The lounge," Keitaro concluded.

Ranma nodded. The faster of the two, he and Kage were down the hallway before Keitaro had even moved.

The sight of an unknown woman laying on the floor greeted him as he entered the lounge. 'Shit, Tama must have startled her,' the martial artist concluded as he spotted the flying turtle perched on her shoulder.

"MYUH!"

"Yeah, I got her," Ranma said confidently.

Having spent over a decade seriously studying the martial arts, he was familiar with anatomy. Grabbing her wrist he checked for a pulse. "Not good," he muttered as he failed to find even a faint pulse. Taking a calming breath he continued to check for a pulse.

"Mutsumi?" Keitaro exclaimed as he spotted them.

"You know her?"

The myopic ronin nodded. "She's a ronin like me – failed the exam three times. I met her last year at the exam and even traveled with her after we both failed last year. She's sickly and prone to these spells."

"She's dead," Ranma stated. "I can see her soul leaving her body."

Keitaro opened his mouth to object, but he just couldn't contradict the other man. Mutsumi's spirit was leaving her body.

"Oh my," the busty brunette suddenly said, startling both men. "Keitaro? Fancy meeting you here."

"This happens to her a lot," Keitaro whispered to Ranma. "It's good to see you Mutsumi."

"Who's your handsome friend?" she asked as she realized that he was holding her hand. "He's so forward," she blushed. "Not that I don't mind being in such strong and capable arms."

It was Ranma's turn to blush.

"And such a well muscled chest too."

"Mutsumi, this is Ranma Saotome," Keitaro said as he tried to get a better grasp of the situation. "Ranma, this is Mutsumi Otohime, she's the one who gave me Tama."

"Um, hi," the master martial artists greeted.

Slowly the two stood as Ranma continued to hold her hand and support her.

"Hi," she replied.

"Hi," he repeated as he gazed into her soft brown eyes.

"You already said that," she chuckled.

"Oh," he blinked. "Sorry."

Slowly he extracted himself from her.

"So, um, Mutsumi," Keitaro said, breaking the awkward silence and drawing her attention away from the master martial artist. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, well, it's almost time for the cram schools to start up," she answered thoughtfully. "I know I've failed three times before, but I believe that if I can study with some friends at one of the better cram schools I'll be able to get into Todai this year. But to go to the same cram school that you're going to I need to be here, not Okinawa.

"I want to live at the Hinata Sou."

* * *

A/N

Yes, Love Hina and Ranma are both comedy series, but expect some drama in this fic.

Dreamingfox


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes –

Not much to say other than I'm glad I didn't draft Ryan Grant. Still, I hope Brandon Jackson is up to the task of filling in for him. Glad they kicked Buffalo's but, but it's a long season and the old man is still with the losing Vi-Queens.

I've taken to reading Bakuman even though I never read Death Note. It's pretty good. I really like chapter 11. Chapter 22 was good too.

* * *

A gentle late summer breeze greeted her as she stepped through the sliding doors of the train. Before she could even try to enjoy the weather though she was forced to rush out of the train as the crowded train quickly emptied. Moving with the crowd the busty journalist slowly navigated through the mass of humanity until she was finally able to escape from the swarm.

Though she'd traveled around Tokyo before and was even used to the crowded trains, Kitsune couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. True, her annoyance wasn't due to the crowds but the fact that after nearly a week of investigative reporting she'd been unable to turn up any information on her assignment.

It didn't help that there were few master martial artists in Nerima willing to talk to her about the 'Golden Age' of martial arts a decade ago. Most of the masters who now ran dojos in Nerima hadn't even been in Nerima back then in fact. That itself was a testament to just how highly regarded the 'Nerima Wrecking Crew' had been. Several of the more aggressive fighters had apparently challenged and defeated all of the old dojos in Nerima and the neighboring districts. While defeated masters were allowed to run their dojos, the code amongst martial arts masters dictated that they disband their school until they could reclaim their dojo placard from the victorious challenger. Clearly none of them had been able to do that.

But less than two years after the chaos had started in Nerima it ended, leaving the district without the world class martial artists that had made a name for themselves. Gone were the highly destructive fights and displays of superhuman strength, speed, and ability.

Yet even with those fighters gone, word of their prowess had attracted a new generation of fighters and martial artists. Dojos sprang up in the years that followed, but none of the new comers could match the lost skills of their predecessors.

Still, she had one lead.

The out of the way restaurant was supposedly one of the best serving up an unusual style of Okonomiyaki. Then again, if what she'd heard of the cook was true, than it only made sense that the chef used elements of traditional Osaka style but also added elements of Hiroshima-yaki as well as Monjayaki, modanyaki, and Negiyaki. While the various styles were good, it was the okonomiyaki sauce that was the true star of the meal regardless of how the okonomiyaki was cooked.

As much as Kitsune liked to enjoy good food, it was the chef/owner that brought her to this particular restaurant. _Saotome's_ was supposed to be very exclusive, serving only martial artists and their honored guests. Getting a reservation had been impossible. Fortunately the sly eyed woman had a hidden ace.

Though he was known more as an academic, Seta Noriyasu was a respected martial artist. It also helped that he'd learned how to grill okonomiyaki over a campfire from the owner of _Saotome's_ as well. One call to him and she'd secured a reservation to the exclusive restaurant.

But it was more than just a reservation - it was a chance for an interview as the early hour meant that there would be few customers at the restaurant.

Entering the restaurant, she eyed the empty seats and smiled. Yes, this was definitely going to be her chance.

A young brunette sat at one of the tables, the lone occupant of the small restaurant.

"Mom, dad, we've got a customer," she shouted.

Kitsune smiled. This was why she didn't want kids.

"Since you're the only one here, why don't you take a seat at the grill?" the girl suggested as she returned her attention to the thick stack of books before her.

"Wha' cha reading?" the freelancer asked.

"I'm not reading," the young girl replied, "I'm drawing."

"Ah," Kitsune replied. "My bad."

"Hi," a mousy brunette woman greeted. Considering that she was standing behind the grill, Kitsune assumed that she was the chef/owner. "You're new here, I thought Seta was coming."

Despite the fact that her eyes appeared to be closed, Kitsune couldn't miss the look that the other woman shot her. It was clear that she was on her guard. The mousy brunette had an athletic build that clearly didn't come from working the grill. No, more than likely she was a fighter, just like her clients.

"He recommended _Saotome's _since I didn't know any good restaurants in the area," Kitsune replied.

"And how do you know Seta?"

"He tutored my best friend a few years ago," she answered honestly. "He even taught her some Jeet Kune Do. We both had a crush on him."

The brunette woman smiled, "He does have that affect on girls. Good thing I'm already married."

"She's yours?" Kitsune asked as she indicated the young girl in the corner.

"Summer holidays," the chef replied with a slight smile. "Haruna, why don't you get some butter for the grill?"

The young girl nodded. Hopping up from her seat she left her stack of manga and sketches.

"She's my only child," the woman finally answered. "What can I get for you?"

"The House Special," Kitsune ordered, curious to try the cooking that had made _Saotome's_ a favorite amongst the martial arts community.

"I don't think so," the chef shook her head. "You're not a fighter, so you won't need all the calories and protein that's in the Special."

"Oh," Kitsune nodded, accepting the woman's advice. "How about a single order of the Kunoichi Special?"

"That might be more your style, but it's got some kick in it."

Again Kitsune nodded. "I've always wanted to come here, but _Saotome's_ is so exclusive."

"What's your name?"

"Mitsune Konno," the sly eyed woman replied. _'She doesn't want to talk about martial artists.' _"What do you know of the Urashima Fist?"

"You know the Urashima Fist?"

"My landlord's an Urashima. I haven't seen him practice, but I know he's been practicing it lately."

"You must be staying at the Hinata Sou then."

Kitsune nodded_. 'She knows about it then.'_

"I wondered why I hadn't seen Hinata recently."

'_And she knows Granny, interesting.'_ "Her grandson, Keitaro became our landlord last year."

The hiss of the heating grill filled the restaurant as the two women eyed each other.

Though she really didn't want to, Kitsune knew that she wouldn't get anywhere. Grabbing her last wild card, she hoped that it would pay off. "I heard that you were once part of the 'Nerima Wrecking Crew'."

Calmly the chef applied some melted butter to the grill. "What are you after?"

"This," she said as she laid out the weathered picture on the counter. "You're Ukyo Kuonji, aren't you?"

The chef had a sad smile on her face even as she poured the batter. It was a testament to her skill as a chef and martial artist that she appeared unfazed by the question and the photo.

"I haven't looked at that picture in years," Ukyo said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"So you are that Ukyo."

The chef shook her head. "I was that Ukyo, but that ended nearly a decade ago. Now I'm Ukyo Saotome."

"You were arguably the best female martial artist in all of Japan," Kitsune stated. "Why would you stop being a martial artist?"

"Have you ever loved something?"

Kitsune blinked. Caught off guard by that line of thought she eyed the doorway that the young girl had passed through.

"I love my daughter," Ukyo replied. "And I don't want her to suffer the way I suffered when I grew up."

"So you don't want your daughter to be a martial artist because of all the rigorous training that she'd have to do?"

Again Ukyo shook her head. "You weren't in Nerima back then. You were probably just a little kid, no older than Runi is now back when we were running around Nerima. There's a reason why we're called the 'Nerima Wrecking Crew'. We destroyed things on a daily basis and didn't think much about it. Statues, walls, houses, schools, lives…"

"So the fighting got too intense for you?"

Ukyo sighed, then added some sauce to the okonomiyaki. "You said you and your friend had a crush on Seta, right?"

Kitsune blinked, unsure why the older woman would mention that. "Yeah."

"How far would you go to get him if he were available?"

'_Oh, she's good.'_ "I stepped aside for her when I found out she had a thing for him."

"That's noble," Ukyo said with a sad smile. "But you're friends. What if you didn't care at all for her?"

Leaning back, Kitsune pondered the other woman's question_. 'Would I have stepped aside if it were anyone other than Naru?'_ "But what about the art? Don't you love the art? Since pretty much all of your clientele are martial artists I figure that you still have some connection to the art."

"I do, and I did," she replied. "But after a while I realized that as good as I was at my art, I couldn't get what I wanted. The art helped get me to where I was, but it didn't make me happy. I serve martial artists because I know the type of diets that most of them are on when they're training and my menu works well with their diets while also giving them something that tastes good."

"But if you loved the art, how could you give it up?"

"Have you ever loved something, anything?" Ukyo countered.

'_I write,_' Kitsune thought, _'but do I love it?'_ "No," she shook her head.

Grabbing her giant spatula, Ukyo gracefully flipped the okonomiyaki. "Until you love something, actually love something so much that it hurts you to be without it, don't talk to me about love and being able to give up something that you love."

"She's got you there," Haruna said, announcing her presence. "Here's some water, and here's some milk."

Kitsune eyed the two glasses and the liquids they contained.

"Trust me, you're going to need the milk," the young girl stated as she walked away.

"When I watch Ranma going through his katas in the morning I'm just…" Kitsune paused, still unsure over the right words to describe what she felt. Had she been paying attention she would have caught the older woman's momentary lapse at the mention of the pigtailed martial artist. "I don't know really. I used to never really care about the martial arts or whatever, even when Seta was teaching Naru. But when I saw Ranma… it was just beautiful. No, it was breathtaking."

"Here," Ukyo said as she slide the single serving of okonomiyaki onto a plate. "Runi?"

"Yeah mom?"

"I'm going to start setting up for the day," Ukyo said, turning away from her only customer.

"Yeah mom."

Interview over, Kitsune eyed the unusual okonomiyaki_. 'At least I got to eat at Saotome's.'_ Reaching for the picture, she blinked. _'No way. That can't be him.'_

* * *

Clear blue skies greeted her as she opened the windows to her new room. After days of cloudy skies and sudden violent gusts of wind, Mutsumi was glad to see the warm, bright sun in the sky.

"Is this all you've got?"

Turning around, she focused her attention on the pigtailed man at her door. "Yes," she nodded.

The perfectly stacked pyramid of watermelons filled the corner of the large room.

"You're gonna need furniture," he stated. "At least a futon to sleep on and something to put your clothes in or to hang them with."

"Oh," she exclaimed as she noted her empty closets, "I think you're right. A kotatsu would be nice. We don't have winters in Okinawa but I hear that winters in Hinata are a bit colder. And there's the hot springs too!"

"Why don't we go get you some furniture?" another, more familiar voice asked.

"That sounds like a good idea," the busty brunette said with a smile. "That'll give us a good chance to catch up."

Naru smiled, glad to make the energetic boys work out after the grueling morning session that she'd endured.

"Ranma!" Keitaro called out from the stairwell.

"Yeah?" the pigtailed boy shouted back as he leaned into the hallway.

"Phone call!"

Sighing, Ranma moved over to the window.

Mutsumi and Naru simply watched as Ranma leapt out of the window heedless of the fact that they were on the third floor.

"It takes some getting used to," Naru said. "But maybe he's trying to impress you."

* * *

"You could have just used the stairs," Keitaro shouted at him as he entered the lounge.

"But this was faster," Ranma smirked.

The ronin sighed, and then shook his head. "Show off."

Dashing towards the phone, Ranma didn't bother to think about who would be calling him. In truth he only knew one person, well, two, who knew that he was at the Hinata Sou. Picking up the phone, he set it on his ear. "Yo."

"Ranma?" the soft voice on the other end of the line asked. "It's really you."

Though it'd been nearly ten years since he'd heard the voice, Ranma knew that it was someone who had known him back then. Drawing a blank as to who it was though he decided not to draw too much attention to himself as Keitaro was now in the kitchen checking on the food in the fridge. "Yeah."

"It's Konatsu," the gentle voice stated. "Someone's been looking into things from ten years ago."

The pigtailed martial artist froze. "Into that Incident?"

"We're not sure," the male kunoichi replied. "She came into our restaurant with the only picture of all the Nerima Wrecking Crew in it.

"Listen, I don't have much time to explain things. After your parents died and you left, we had your family papers altered. I became Konatsu Saotome, your 'adopted brother', and married Ukyo so that she could restore her honor."

Ranma nodded despite the fact that that gesture wouldn't be picked up over the phone.

"We moved around and traveled a lot before starting up our restaurant. We've even got a beautiful daughter."

"You're not training her in your art, are you?"

Konatsu chuckled on the other end. "No, Ukyo would kill me. She doesn't want Haruna to learn the arts unless she wants to. Apparently Runi likes drawing too much to get into our arts.

"Anyways, the lady that was here, she has a picture of you and the others. From what I could tell, she lives at the Hinata Sou with you."

"Mitsune," Ranma hissed as he made the connection.

"I think that was her name. Ryoga and Tsuruko have told us that anyone who inquires about the Incident needs to be dealt with, but we don't think she's actually interested in that."

"She's doing an article," Ranma said softly so as not to draw Keitaro's attention. "Something about Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts."

"That's the feeling I got when I checked up on her," the kunoichi prodigy confirmed. "But I did let Ryoga know that someone's been looking into things."

"Thanks for the heads up," the pigtailed boy said as he processed everything. "So how old is your girl?"

"She's going to be nine. She's home right now for the summer holidays if you want to meet her. I'm sure Ukyo would love to see you. You're only two stops up the line from us."

"Maybe," he replied. "I do have to head into town today."

"I'll let Ukyo know you're coming."

"Sure."

"I'll leave a special trail for you."

"Thanks," Ranma smiled fondly. "See ya later."

Hanging up the phone, he stared at it for a moment.

"Who was that?" Keitaro asked as he poked his head out of the fridge.

"My big brother," Ranma said, still getting used to the idea.

"You've got a brother?"

"And a sister-in-law and niece," he replied with a smile. "Since the girls want us to take them shopping, I figured we could maybe swing by and visit them. Lunch'll be on me."

* * *

"How long are you going to poke at that?" the young girl asked.

Kitsune scowled. The half eaten okonomiyaki was delicious, but spicy. Despite her best efforts to stall and gain more information in the process, the sly eyed woman had been shut down by both Ukyo and Haruna. "Haven't you ever heard of the saying 'the customer's always right?' – why don't you just let me eat?"

"Because you're just fishing for something," the perceptive young girl stated.

Before she could refute the statement the bell over the door rang, signaling the arrival of other customers.

"Welcome to _Saotome's Grill_," Haruna greeted, thankful to have someone else to talk to.

Kitsune didn't bother turning around despite having the additional company to keep the girl in line.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"You must be Haruna," a familiar voice said. "You're smaller than I thought you'd be."

"Ranma?" the inquisitive woman exclaimed as she turned around.

"Hey Kitsune," the pigtailed martial artist greeted.

"Ranma?" the cook exclaimed.

Both Haruna and Kitsune watched as Ukyo leapt over the grill and counter and rushed to hug Ranma.

"Ukyo, it's been so long!" Ranma said as he allowed Ukyo to embrace him.

"Hey Little Brother," a tall man greeted from the kitchen door. "Haruna, this is my brother, and your uncle – Ranma Saotome."

"I've got an uncle?" the girl exclaimed.

"This is your niece?" another man asked.

Lost in the excitement was the fact that three more people had entered the restaurant behind the pigtailed martial artist.

"These must be your new neighbors," the muscular man stated as he approached the quartet.

"Hey Konatsu," Ranma greeted, bowing slightly to his 'brother'.

"It looks like you're getting bigger and stronger," the man known as Konatsu said with a sly smile.

"Hey, it has been ten years since you last saw me," Ranma replied, a sad smile on his face.

"Who are your friends?" Ukyo asked.

"Sorry, you know me, never good with being formal and stuff," the pigtailed man said as he scratched his head. "Konatsu, Ukyo, Haruna – these are my friends Keitaro Urashima, Naru Narusegawa, and Mutsumi Otohime. Guys, this is my older brother and his wife, and their little girl."

"Hey!" Haruna protested.

Kitsune looked at the two brothers skeptically. There was a slight resemblance, but mostly in how the two held themselves.

"Nice to meet you," Mutsumi said with a polite bow.

"Oh, Mutsumi; this is Mitsune Konno, she's another resident of the Hinata Sou," Keitaro said, introducing the two women. "She prefers to be called Kitsune though. Mutsumi's the newest resident; she's going to be living in room 303."

"Wait," Kitsune exclaimed, trying hard to process all the information, "we've got a new resident?"

"She's a cram school student and three year ronin," Naru stated, "just like Keitaro."

"She'll actually be attending the same cram school that we're attending," Ranma stated.

"You're a ronin too?" Mutsumi remarked.

"No, this is his first time taking the exam actually," Keitaro corrected. "So Ranma's not a ronin."

"Ten years training on the family's mountain," Ukyo shook her head.

"Ten years?" Haruna asked.

"Longer than you've been alive kiddo," Ranma smirked as he reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" she objected. "You're barely older than me!"

"Ha, kid's got the Saotome spunk alright," the pigtailed martial artist remarked.

"Ranma didn't go to the mountain until after he was old enough to get out of being in school," Ukyo stated. "But it is a surprise that such a muscle head would want to go to school now."

Ranma blinked, unsure how to take the backhanded remark.

"Hey, I ain't that dumb."

"No, you weren't," Konatsu admitted. "But you were better known for being a martial artist than a scholar."

"Things change," Ranma said. "With time anything can change."

"Hey, let me get you guys a double order of the house special," Ukyo said. Leaping over the grill and countertop, she immediately heated the grill. "I bet it's been a while since you've had a proper okonomiyaki."

* * *

The clear night sky and the sparkling stars stared back at him as he lay down on the uneven roof of the Hinata Sou.

"What a day, huh?"

Not bothering to look at the speaker, Ranma just sighed, focusing on the pinpoints of light overhead rather than at the busty woman that approached him.

"It's odd seeing you without your dog," she added.

'_That's because he's should be with his sire and Ryoga by now. Hopefully they'll go for the story I drummed up. Still, I don't want her to find that out.'_ Shrugging, he continued to focus on the stars.

"Are you going to stay out here all night?" Mitsune asked.

Ranma tried to focus on the stars, unsure how long he'd stay out there.

"You really don't look much like your brother," she stated.

"You think so?" he asked.

"Then why did you have to live alone on a mountain for ten years?" she asked.

"If you don't mind," he replied, "I'd rather not talk about it." _'Damn, she's more persistent than I thought.'_

For a moment it appeared as though she was considering her options. "Where is Kage?"

"Probably on the mountain," he replied. "It's gotten pretty crowded here lately, even without all of the residents back."

"Yeah," she agreed. "It's going to be pretty lively around here."

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, it really will."

He wasn't sure how long she stood over him silently. Though he refused to admit it, he was glad to have some company despite the fact that he'd spent much of the day around the others and catching up with Ukyo and Konatsu. It was refreshing to be able to just lay there without having to talk.

"I'm gonna turn in," she finally said, breaking the long silence. "Night."

Raising his hand he waved goodnight. _'So much has happened in ten years.'_

A slight breeze caressed his skin leaving a trail of bumps in its wake. Closing his eyes, he took deep breath, allowing the cool air into his lungs.

"Hey," a slightly drunk Keitaro greeted. "Why don't you come and join us?"

Ranma shook his head. "I'm not a big drinker."

"You could at least hang out with us," the ronin suggested.

"I know," he replied. "But I've had my reunion today. I wouldn't want to intrude on yours."

"He's not coming down," Keitaro announced to his drinking buddies.

"Aw," Naru pouted drunkenly. "Spoil-sport."

Sighing, he continued to gaze at the stars even as the sounds of the merry reunion receded. From the sounds of their drunken footsteps they were moving the party down to Keitaro's room.

The silence of the nigh finally encompassed him as he lay there.

"Why do you seek to be alone?" a mysterious voice asked.

He didn't need to look up to see the magical girl standing over him.

"I don't," he answered.

"But you're up here when everyone else is down there?" she asked.

Unable to articulate his thoughts, Ranma settled for a mere shrug.

"If you continue to do this, you'll be alone forever," she cautioned. "And forever can be a long time."

Sitting up, he turned to look at her only to see nothing.

* * *

Morning was no friend to Keitaro Urashima – at least not this morning.

A late night of drinking and catching up had kept the ronin occupied the previous night. Though it had only been months since he had last seen Mutsumi, there was much for the trio of ronin to talk about and catch up on.

But for as much as they had talked, Keitaro couldn't help but think that Ranma and his brother had much more catching up to do than an afternoon afforded them.

To an untrained ear the gentle sound of swift punches and kicks cutting through the air and of dexterous feet landing on the hard concrete would have gone unnoticed (as it normally did to Shinobu, Su, and Kitsune), but to the hung over dorm manager it sent a lance of pain through his skull.

Despite the throbbing pain in his skull, Keitaro forced his protesting eye lids open. His vision blurred by the lack of his glasses, he reached out, groping for his glasses. Rather than finding his glasses though his hand found something with more substance and softer.

'_This doesn't feel like my glasses,'_ he thought dully. '_Where are they?_' Moving his hand over to the side, he grabbed hold of something soft once again. '_What is this?_' Squeezing the object again, he tried to guess at the true nature of it.

"You pervert!"

* * *

For the first time in over a week Ranma performed his morning routines by himself. Even though Keitaro and Naru were clearly awake, it was clear to the immortal martial artist that neither one was in any condition to be moving around so rigorously after their late night of drinking and reminiscing.

Still, Ranma was actually glad to have some time alone as the previous day had proven to be fairly eventful. Seeing and catching up with Ukyo and Konatsu was nice, and meeting his niece was nice, but it made him think about how the rest of the Nerima Wrecking Crew were doing.

'_Tatewaki's dead,'_ Ranma thought with a slight sigh. Though he didn't care much for the kendoka, he knew that Kuno deserved better than he ultimately got. _ 'What about Kodachi and Principal Kuno? I wonder what they've done. _

'_And what about Taro? He probably wouldn't be around much since Happosai isn't around to change his name.'_

"Morning," a deep voice greeted.

"Yo," Ranma shot back.

Father and son stood on opposite sides of the muscled man as the two canines guided the directionless martial artist.

"Hey Kage, Shadow."

The smaller and younger of the two happily ran over to him. "No one's up yet, but I left some bread and meat on the table," Ranma stated. "Why don't you take your old man in for some breakfast?"

Both animals retreated into the Hinata Sou, leaving the men alone.

"I've told the others your story," Ryoga finally said. "They're going to go along with it."

"Who's left?"

With a sigh, his former rival looked at him with sad eyes. "Kodachi, Hinako, Taro; you've met everyone else."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Why don't we find somewhere we can talk about this," Ryoga insisted.

Ranma nodded.

The years had gifted Ryoga with some degree of tact and maturity as well as a beautiful wife and son. But clearly there was something that he hadn't told Ranma.

The two walked a short distance into the woods around the Hinata Sou in silence. Finding two large boulders, they leaned against the stones.

"Shampoo's dead," Ryoga stated. "She went back in shame for not being able to bring you back. Mousse went with her. Even though he wanted to marry her, he knew that she was heart broken and couldn't bring himself to force himself on her. He tried to hold up his end and steal the mermaid flesh from the Amazons."

Ranma nodded, recalling the last time he'd seen the master of hidden weapons.

"The Amazons caught up with him, but not before he contacted us. They didn't just have mermaid flesh, they had a living mermaid. It was staked to the side of a gigantic pit, apparently driven insane by the Amazon's constant torture.

"Mousse managed to find one and put it out of its misery, but the remaining elders put a bounty on his head. He nearly made it to Beijing before an Amazon Death Squad caught up with him. He was good enough to hold them off, but another squad caught up with him. They were using Shampoo as a hostage."

Despite his best efforts, Ranma found himself clenching his fists, ready to hit something, anything. "They're dead."

Ryoga nodded. "Mousse has a daughter."

The pigtailed martial artist blinked. "What?"

"I'm not sure of the details myself, but you remember how his eyesight was so bad he'd grab someone and think they were Shampoo?"

Ranma would have laughed were it no so sad.

"Maybe he moved on and found someone else, but whatever happened, he managed to get a little girl out of it."

"And the mother?"

"Died in labor."

Ranma nodded solemnly. "The girl?"

Ryoga sighed, looking up at the sky. "She's in Japan. The Musk were able to find her and with Taro's help they brought her to Taiwan to escape the notice of the Amazons. Taro raised her as his own and just recently sent her to Japan."

'_At least something good came out of everything.'_ "What about the others?"

"The principal went insane."

Ranma nodded. The loss of his son probably set the already crazy man over the edge.

"He's in an insane asylum. Kodachi took over the family business and married Hikaru Gosunkugi, but she made him take her name."

The thought of those two having children sent a chill up Ranma's spine.

"They've got three boys and a girl," Ryoga added.

The pigtailed martial artist shuddered.

"Ms. Hinako is still teaching, but I don't know where. Dr. Tofu just disappeared after Ukyo gave birth to Haruna."

Letting out a sigh, Ranma looked up at the sky. _'Looks like everyone's moved on.'_

"I have to tell you something," Ryoga added. "Ukyo and Konatsu's friend, Seta Noriyasu, he's an archeologist."

Ranma nodded. Though he'd only met the man in passing, he really didn't interact with the eccentric man.

"He's studying seaside cultures and groups that with some sort of mermaid lore. He's checked out several places in Japan and several islands that just have legends about mermaids."

"I've been wondering," Ranma finally said, an odd thought sticking in his head. "The Amazons are pretty land-locked. How the hell did they have a mermaid with them?"

"No one knows or at least they're not willing to say," Ryoga replied. "But from what Mousse told us of the mermaid he found, it's possible for the creature to live outside of water. Like you they're immortal, so it could have been captured and kept imprisoned for centuries, maybe even several thousand years and been brought with the Amazons from wherever they came from."

"Wait, you said that Mousse found one…"

Ryoga nodded. "He believed that the Amazons had at least another one, possibly more."

"So they've been making those Lost Souls?"

Again Ryoga nodded. "From what Shampoo told me, they used the cursed flesh to create immortal guardians and used it on their enemies."

Ranma nodded grimly, his questions about the rest of the fighters answered.

"AAAH!"

The sound of flesh hitting solid concrete forced the two men to cringe. Despite the amount of punishment that each of them had endured in their respective lives, both knew that it never felt good to crash into the unforgiving ground.

"Man," Ryoga exclaimed, "I don't know if I could take a beating like that."

Ranma shrugged. "I think I'd rather get hit with a boulder than get hit by Naru. He's got to learn to land better."

"She's really a lot like Akane," his former rival stated.

Ranma nodded. "I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing for Keitaro."

"What about for you?"

The pigtailed martial artist paused.

"It's been nearly ten years," Ryoga added. "You're starting to move on."

"What's the point? They're just going to grow old on me."

"Why do you think I gave you the mushrooms? They might work on you, but seeing how it even canceled out the other curses, it probably won't. But you could use it on a companion."

Ranma opened his mouth to protest but promptly shut it when the idea set in.

"See," Ryoga smirked. "I may not be a quick and clever as you, but I've got my moments."

Ranma looked at his former rival in a new light. 'Maybe I should start moving on.' "I'm still smarter," he quipped.

Still smirking, Ryoga sighed as Kage and Shadow appeared. "I guess it's time for me to go back," he stated. "If you're ever in Kyoto feel free to stop by. Oh, and if you really need to contact me," he added as he reached into his pocket, "just give me a call."

Ranma deftly caught the small phone that the other man threw to him.

"Just press the number 3 and it'll call my phone directly, 2 calls Konatsu's cell and 4 calls the restaurant. Don't forget to charge it."

"This is a phone?" Ranma remarked.

"It's a cell phone," Ryoga explained. "Technology's changed a lot in the last ten years."

* * *

Despite her pounding headache, Naru had to admit that punching Keitaro had felt good. What she wouldn't admit to was that getting groped by Keitaro actually felt good.

"Oh my."

Those softly spoken words sent a wave of throbbing pain through her skull.

"Where's Keitaro?"

"He had to go," Naru grumbled. 'How the hell is she fine? She had twice as much to drink as me and the pervert!' "I'm going to take a bath."

"Oh," the other woman exclaimed, sending another lance of pain through Naru's skull. "I'll join you."

* * *

The bright morning light crept across the floor, illuminating the room as it did so. The sun slowly warmed the back of the lone resident as she crawled across the unfamiliar floor. Despite the fact that all the rooms in the Hinata Sou shared the same basic layout, each room was unique to each resident as they each had their own personal tastes.

Even with the sun shining into the room, Kitsune couldn't find anything useful. None of the boards underneath, telling her that he wasn't hiding in the floor. Only a few empty boxes in the corner, the half empty shelf lined with text books and scrolls, and the futon in the middle of the room suggested that Ranma was living in the room.

'_He doesn't have any pictures of himself or his family,'_ she mused as she looked through his shelf. _'Lots of scrolls written in Chinese… too bad I can't read Chinese.'_

Rummaging through the master martial artist's possessions the inquisitive freelance writer couldn't ignore her gut feeling that Ranma was hiding something. But just what she wasn't sure.

Glancing around the room once again, her eyes immediately stopped on the boxes in the corner. Walking over, she eyed reached for the first box_. 'Mushrooms? Must be from when he was living on the mountain.'_

"Kitsune?" a voice called out from the stairs.

'_Su? What does she want?'_ Setting the box back in place, she rushed to the door before sticking her head out of Ranma's room. 'Go, she's not here.' Calming herself, she walked over to the stairs.

"Naru and Mutsumi are going to use the bath? You wanna come?" the eager young girl shouted. "Hey, what were you doing in Ranma's room? Does he have a stash of girly mags like Keitaro?"

"No," she replied. _'Girl's got so much energy. And how did she know I was in Ranma's room?_'

"What's that?" the blond asked as she pointed to the mushroom in the older woman's hand.

"Mushroom."

"Ooh, is it tasty?"

"Actually I was going to give it to Tama," Kitsune replied quickly.

"Ooh, good idea," Su smirked. "Fatten him up before we have him for lunch. Have you seen Tama?"

Kitsune shook her head. "Not yet."

"I wonder if mushrooms taste good with turtle."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things there for now.

Dreamingfox


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes –

Hmm, not much to say other than "Go Packers!" I think I'm screwed in that I drafted Romo in three of my leagues and Chris Johnson just couldn't do it against a stout defense. I'm just glad I'm not a Vi-Queen's fan.

* * *

The cool morning air refreshed her even as the hot water of the onsen relieved her aching muscles. Taking in a deep breath, she sighed contently.

"Hmm," the busty brunette purred, "this is great."

"You're right," Kitsune sighed, "this is great."

"As long as we don't have any perverts peeping on us," Naru grumbled as she leaned back against the edge of the bath.

"But you knocked Keitaro out!" Su exclaimed. Taking a running start, the excitable girl leapt into the hot water.

"You guys were partying pretty hard," Kitsune smiled slyly. "You even passed out in Keitaro's room. No wonder Ranma was out on the roof last night."

"Nothing happened!" Naru growled.

Mutsumi chuckled. "I think she doth protest too much."

"If anything happened it's because I let my guard down around that pervert!"

"So something did happen?" Kitsune asked as she moved next to Naru. "Give me all the juicy details."

"Sometimes when you're drunk you act out in ways you normally wouldn't," Mutsumi stated.

"Yeah," Kitsune seconded. "Alcohol brings out your true self."

"If that's true, then what about Ranma?" Naru countered quickly. "He doesn't drink at all."

"That's true," Su seconded.

"He always appears to be pretty relaxed," the sly eyed woman agreed, "but he's definitely hiding something."

"You think so too?" Mutsumi asked. "I thought so too. There's a great sadness to him even though he acts like nothing's wrong."

The other girls considered the newest resident's unusual insight.

"Do you like Ranma?" Su asked. Considering her age, the older girls simply dismissed her question as a lack of maturity in the younger girl. "You were in his room before."

Both Naru and Mutsumi looked at Kitsune, both knowing that neither of them had been in Ranma's room.

"What?" Naru exclaimed.

"I was just curious," Kitsune replied. "It's not as if he's got anything interesting anyways."

"I think that it's wrong to spy on him," Mutsumi stated. "If he chooses to keep his secrets, that's his choice and we should respect his decision."

Kitsune pondered the older woman's sagely advice. _'But there's just something about him that doesn't sit right with me, I can't let it go.'_ "So, you like Ranma then?"

"Wha?" Naru exclaimed, unsure how the discussion had suddenly turned.

"No," Mutsumi replied. "He is cute, and he is smart, but… I like Keitaro better."

"What?" the auburn haired woman exclaimed.

"Well, Ranma is handsome and a better fighter," Su agreed. "But Keitaro's kinder and more considerate of everyone else."

Kitsune nodded. "But Ranma's got more drive and talent. He also isn't as wishy-washy as Keitaro and once he's got his mind set on something he's determined to succeed."

"And Ranma's not a pervert like Keitaro," Naru added. "He's a gentleman who doesn't peep."

"So you like Ranma?" Mutsumi asked. Sitting up, she peered at the other ronin.

"What?" Naru reflexively exclaimed.

"Do you like Ranma or Keitaro?" Mutsumi asked again.

"Why is it that every time we're all in the baths together we're talking about men?" a new voice asked.

"Motoko," Naru gasped, thankful for the distraction. "How was your camp?"

"It was nice," the slender girl replied. "But I missed my morning training with Ranma and Keitaro."

"You have been getting pretty chummy with those two," Kitsune remarked. "But which do you like better?"

"W-what?" the kendoka stuttered, stunned by the unexpected question.

"Well, before you never practiced with anyone before," the sly eyed woman stated. "But ever since Ranma move in you've taken to practicing with those two on a daily basis."

"Ranma's got mad skills," Su shouted. Jumping out of the water only to fall back and splash everyone, she grinned. "Keitaro is nearly immortal though, but Motoko wants to fight a stronger opponent. Ranma is the strongest there is."

"Stronger than even Seta?" Kitsune asked, surprised by Su's outburst.

Su and Motoko nodded.

"Yeah," Naru agreed. "The other day he went up and down the stairs from the Hinata Sou to the park on his hands five times in the time that it took me to run the stairs once."

"And he was doing it with weights," Su proclaimed. "Ranma is more impressive, but Keitaro's more fun."

Reluctantly, Motoko nodded.

"So you like Keitaro?" Kitsune asked, a sly smile on her face.

"I-I think they are both aspiring to be admirable men," Motoko replied, evading the question. "I am after all, unfeminine, so until I can be considered more feminine, I do not think that it matters."

"So which one would you want to make you a woman?" Kitsune pressed.

"Ranma…" the kendoka muttered.

Naru let out a little sigh.

"Ranma is already a great man," Motoko said clearly, "and as hard as I try I would never be his equal. But Keitaro… he is on the path towards greatness as well. I-I could call him my equal."

Despite the hot water around her, Naru felt a slight chill running through her body. _'She likes Keitaro? Yet she likes Ranma as well but doesn't think she's worthy of him. But Keitaro already kissed me… But do I like him back? What about his promise girl? What about Motoko? Since he kissed me does that mean that he's given up on his promise girl? But if I don't tell him how I feel will he move on to Motoko or Shinobu?'_

"I like Ranma," Kitsune declared. "He's a real stud, and his secrets make him all the more alluring to me. But I'm not a martial artist, so I doubt he or his family would accept me. Still, it's not the destination that matters, it's the journey."

'_Why am I not surprised,'_ Naru sighed.

"What about you?" her long-time friend asked.

"Yes, I am curious as to your preference as well," Motoko seconded.

The look on Mutsumi's face suggested that she also wanted to know. "Keitaro did tell me that he liked you," the busty woman stated. "Do you like him back?"

'_Why'd you have to tell everyone that?'_ Naru panicked. "Well, I like them both, but I don't know enough about Ranma to really say if I like him more than Keitaro, and both of them are still growing and maturing…"

Even though Motoko hadn't entered the water it was clear to Naru that the slender girl was blushing.

"But Keitaro likes you," Mutsumi stated.

"And you like Keitaro," Naru shot back.

"Wait," Motoko held up her hand. "Who are you?"

Naru and Kitsune looked at each other then at the Motoko then Mutsumi.

"She's the newest resident of the Hinata Sou," Naru explained. "Keitaro and I met her during our trip this past spring. She's going to be attending the same Cram School as we are. This is Mutsumi Otohime, she'll be in the room right next to mine. Mutsumi; this is Motoko Aoyama."

"It's so nice to meet you," the exuberant brunette said.

"It's nice to meet you too," Motoko returned with a bow. _'Another rival then,' _the kendoka thought as she eyed the busty woman.

"So even though Keitaro told you he likes Naru, you're going to continue pursuing Keitaro?" Kitsune asked as she turned to face Mutsumi.

"I just want him to be happy," the busty girl replied. "If that's with Naru than so be it, if not, well…"

"But we don't even know if she likes him or not," Kitsune interjected.

All eye turned to her.

"I don't like him!" she exclaimed. "How could I like a pervert like him?"

* * *

"How could I like a pervert like him?"

It didn't take a psychic to know that those words pierced through Keitaro's heart the moment that Naru's proclamation reached his ears.

"You kissed her," Ranma sighed as he scratched behind Kage's ears, "didn't you?"

Head hung in defeat, Keitaro's silence was all the answer Ranma needed.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Seeing the other man sigh, Ranma shook his head. "Remember my advice?"

"Run faster?"

Ranma blinked, "No."

"Muscle memory?"

"No," the pigtailed martial artist shook his head. "Try not to think too hard. And take a stand."

Keitaro took a deep breath, trying to build up his confidence. "So," he finally said, "what do I do?"

"Seriously?"

The ronin nodded.

Though he'd trained as a martial artist, there were times when Ranma didn't believe in the use of violence. "You know," he said as he continued to scratch Kage's head, "I'm tempted to kick your ass and throw you into the onsen just so the girls can kick your ass again."

"What?"

"I just gave you my advice and you're asking for more! If you're a man than prove it! Tell her how you feel and see if she's really going to return your feelings or turn you away. Then you can see what happens next."

"That's easy for you to say!" Keitaro protested. "You've already had a fiancée!"

Eyes rolling, Ranma stood up.

Kage sat up straight, lifting his head off of his master's lap.

"Fine, you want me to show you how to do things?"

Keitaro energetically nodded.

"Fine," Ranma said, not sure what he was really getting himself into. "I'll ask… Kitsune out on a date!"

* * *

The familiar silhouette of the Hinata Sou always caused her heart to beat just a bit faster every time she reached the top of the stairs. Despite the long trek up the stairs, the petit girl knew that it wasn't the physical exertion that made her heart quicken – it was the promise of another day with her crush that excited her.

After a week away from the Hinata Sou, Shinobu couldn't help but look forward to returning to her home.

Her home… Shinobu smiled. The Hinata Sou was her home.

But she wasn't the only one to think of it as home. Keitaro, Naru, Motoko, Kitsune, and Su all called the Hinata Sou home. No, that wasn't entirely true. The mysterious Ranma Saotome had recently joined them.

It was strange and difficult for the girls of the Hinata Sou to accept the new comer though. When Keitaro had first come on as the new manager only Kitsune, Su and herself had been for it while Naru and Motoko had strongly objected – yet Motoko had clearly accepted Ranma easily when Keitaro and Haruka had informed them that he was moving in.

Though the dynamics of the Hinata Sou's residents and their various relationships to each other had changed with Keitaro's arrival, things had really changed in the short amount of time since Ranma had moved in. With another man at the Hinata Sou on a regular basis the girls were seeing Keitaro in a new light. Though they all cared for him, few of the girls would admit that they were attracted to him. As the only male at the Hinata Sou he'd had all their attention to himself, with only Seta as a measuring stick whenever the older man came around. But with Ranma the girls were starting to see Keitaro in a new light.

'_I wonder how Naru-sempai sees Ranma?'_ the young maiden asked herself as she spotted the auburn haired beauty. _'She's been spending a lot of time with him, though most of that is because they're studying together. I know Motoko secretly idolizes him, just as she respects Seta. Maybe if I get them all to focus on Ranma I can get Sempai all to myself.'_

"Hey Shinobu!" the proud martial artist greeted.

"Hello," the demure girl returned as she moved to stand straight before offering a bow. Before she had the chance though a large black shadow rushed at her. "Hello Kage," she smiled as the powerful beast stopped just short of her. Clearly she was his favorite resident, aside from Ranma, as she was the one who offered the canine the most and best treats.

"Aw," Ranma grumbled, "how many times do I have to tell you? You spoil him too much!"

"That's okay," Shinobu replied as she let Kage lick her outstretched hand. "I did bring you something back from my camp; I bet you know that already though."

As if to reply, Kage rubbed his nose against her stomach, growling playfully as he did so.

"Oh," Ranma said as he stopped a few steps away from her. "We've got a new resident," he said thoughtfully.

"Wha?"

"Yeah," the pigtailed man shrugged. "She's a buddy of Keitaro and Naru's; another ronin. She's going to be Naru's neighbor."

'_A friend of Naru and Sempai? So many new people are moving here.'_

* * *

An odd tension filled the train as the four Todai hopefuls returned from cram school.

Though the two men had only heard Naru's proclamation and not the whole conversation it was clear to them that Naru was reluctant to speak with Keitaro. Despite Ranma's bold declaration that he'd show Keitaro how to be a man and how to ask a woman out on a date, the master martial artist had yet to hold up his end of the arrangement.

"Mutsumi," Ranma said as the sliding doors opened, "do you wanna get some tea?"

Three sets of eyes turned to eye him.

"Sure," Mutsumi replied with her ever present smile.

Beaming, he led her off the train. "We'll see you guys at the Sou."

The two astounded ronin remained on the train as the door closed behind the pair of new residents.

"I'm surprised you accepted," Ranma said as he walked beside the busty girl.

"Hehe," she chuckled, "so am I, though I'm more surprised that you asked."

Try as he might, Ranma couldn't completely repress his nerves. _'Man, now I'm pulling a Keitaro and over-thinking things.'_ "Well, I figure if Keitaro really is going to ask Naru out for a date or something he's going to want to do it without everyone watching him."

"That's true," Mutsumi ceded. "He's so kind and sensitive but he's also so shy."

"It sounds like you like him."

The compassionate woman nodded. "I do."

Floored by her admission, Ranma stumbled before regaining his composure. "What?"

"He's kind and compassionate," she explained. "And he cares about everyone around him."

The two walked in silence for several blocks as Ranma wrapped his mind around the oddity that was Mutsumi. Spotting a tea house he led her towards it.

"If you like him, then why'd you agree to come with me for tea?" he finally asked.

Seeing her smile, he couldn't help but feel, well, something stirring inside of him.

"I don't know how he feels about me," she replied. "And hopefully he'll see how easy it is to ask a woman out and finally ask someone out."

Slowly, Ranma processed what she was saying. "So you're just using me to get him jealous?"

"Maybe," she replied. "But you're a good man too. Or at least you have the potential to be a compassionate man."

'_Okay, that doesn't make sense.' _

Suddenly Mutsumi stopped, forcing him to do so as well. Turning to face him she tentatively reached out and put her hand on his chest. "You have a sad heart," she explained. "A wounded heart."

Her word stung him, creating a lump in his throat that kept him from spouting out some witty comeback.

"Someday," she whispered softly, "when you're truly healed, I know you'll find the right one to ask."

Leaning in, she gently kissed his cheek.

He didn't know why, but his left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer even as she gently tried to pull away. His right hand moved to her chin, lifting her face so that he could look into her deep brown eyes. The feel of her soft lips pressed against his lips formed a knot to form in his chest. Not, not a knot, but a heavy weight in his heart.

* * *

"You're distracted!" Motoko shouted even as she lashed out with her bokken.

As if to disprove her, Ranma simply sidestepped her attack. "Am I?" he countered as she nearly hit her ally.

Though the trio often sparred in the early mornings, the fact that Keitaro had been hung over that morning and Motoko's absence the previous days due her attendance at her club's summer camp had thrown off the trio's usual morning routine.

"You're faster," he admitted, "but you're also more emotionally invested."

Nimbly avoiding several attacks, he spun around to parry a thrusting cork-screwing punch from Keitaro.

"You both know that I don't attack, I counter attack," Ranma stated as he deftly slipped between their combined attacks. "You're leaving yourselves open only when the other person is able to cover for you, thus limiting my opportunities to counter.

"The real problem is that you're both too emotionally unbalanced," he continued to lecture. "You're not putting your whole fighting spirit, or heart into this."

A swift punch to the stomach folded Keitaro while a lightning quick back spin kick to Motoko's chest knocked the wind and fight out of her.

Fighting through the pain, Keitaro forced himself to stand up straight. Taking a deep breath he calmed his nerved. His powerful legs propelled him towards the master martial artist. Another thrusting punch was answered with an elbow to his face. Still, Keitaro pressed on, lashing out with a left uppercut.

"You're telegraphing your attacks," Ranma announced as he slipped under a knee strike.

A punishing palm strike sent Keitaro flying.

"Man," Ranma exclaimed, "I didn't even break a sweat."

"Good!" an excitable voice cried out. "Because I'm about to unveil my masterpiece and you're the perfect person to test it on!"

Keitaro watched as the energetic Su leapt out of the third story window.

"Su!" Motoko shouted as she forced herself to stand.

But Su never was in any danger as a giant, metal turtle appeared, snatching the blond out of the air.

"This is my greatest invention," the proud mad scientist proclaimed. "I designed them to take on my greatest rivals, so they had to be the best."

"'Them'?" Keitaro asked.

As if to prove her point, a second machine approached, this one appearing to be a mechanized werewolf.

"Mecha-Tama and Rankage," Su grinned evilly.

"'Rankage'?" Ranma repeated as he eyed the metal werewolf.

"Yes," Su replied. "Ever since Tama appeared I was preparing myself for the day when we would have our inevitable showdown. But since you and Kage arrived, Tama has become much stronger and he's also formed an alliance with Kage against me. So I've been forced to create a mecha to defeat you and Kage – thus Rankage was born!"

Ranma eyed the girl skeptically. "You do know that neither Kage nor Tama is here, right?"

"HAHAHA!" the blond laughed. "That's why I have this!"

Everyone looked at the girl's outstretched hand but only Ranma realized what she was holding.

"With this mushroom I will summon my arch nemesis to battle!" Su declared.

As if to prove her point, Tama flew through the air, snatching the mushroom out of her open palm.

'_Oh crap!'_ Ranma thought. _'That had to be 30 cm.'_ "Keitaro," he said as he tilted his head back towards the manager, "just how old is Tama?"

"A year maybe," the ronin replied. "Why?"

The tiny turtle that loved to perch himself on the female residents' heads or shoulders suddenly grew.

"Oh my," Mutsumi exclaimed as she watched from the window of her room.

"What the hell did you do Su?" Naru exclaimed from her window.

"Turtle!" Motoko screamed.

Unsure how turtles matured or thought of when they matured, Ranma eyed the giant turtle as it flew through the air. Even Su's Mecha-Tama was dwarfed by the thirty-something Tama.

"Oh my," Su exclaimed. "I hadn't anticipated this."

'_How the hell did she get my mushrooms?'_ Ranma thought as he watched Tama out fly his mechanical counterpart.

"Mecha-Tama – engage!"

"Turtle!"

Before the mechanical construct could even lock onto its opponent Tama veered off course, flying straight up before suddenly changing direction again. Like a seaborne bird diving into water for its meal, Tama crashed into Mecha-Tama, slamming the inferior turtle into the ground and sundering it.

"Mecha-Tama!" Su cried out as she realized that her prized construct had been felled. "Rankage – you must avenge -…!"

Everyone turned to the robotic werewolf, expecting to see it rush at the giant Tama as he emerged from the remains of his mechanical self. Seeing Kage chewing on the mechanical leg bone of Rankage though was not what anyone expected.

"NOOO! Mecha-Tama! Rankage!" the girl shouted in an overly dramatic fashion. Throwing Tama and Kage one final look, she stood up. "I will avenge you!"

* * *

The warm, soothing waters of the onsen felt cool to the cursed martial artist. Though he was completely submerged in the hot water, Ranma didn't feel nearly as warm now as he had when he'd kissed Mutsumi.

"I thought you were going to ask Kitsune out," his lone human companion said.

"I was going to," Ranma replied as he looked at the 'normal' sized Tama. It'd been a simple matter of finding a 1cm tall mushroom and feeding it to Tama, thus restoring the turtle to its appropriate age. Still, Ranma couldn't help but wonder if someone had realized something was up. "But with everything going on I never had a chance to ask her. And since I have to show you how to be a man, I asked Mutsumi."

Keitaro leaned back in the water as he considered Ranma's logic.

"Would you rather that I ask Naru out instead?"

"No," Keitaro replied quickly.

"That's what I thought," Ranma sighed. "Still, Mutsumi did say that she liked you…"

"Really?"

Ranma nodded.

Leaning forward, Keitaro eyed his companion. "What else did she say?"

Eyes closed, Ranma sighed. "She didn't say much really."

Feeling Keitaro's eyes locked on him, Ranma took a moment to recall his brief date. "We kissed," he finally said.

"What?"

Before Keitaro could say anything else Ranma pounced, knocking the other man into the water even as he clamped his hand over Keitaro's mouth.

"Quiet!" he hissed. "Remember how we heard Naru this morning? I'm pretty sure the girls can hear you if you're screaming."

Keitaro nodded. _'He kissed her! But she said she liked me, right?'_

"Anyways, it's not like she used the big 'L' word," Ranma said as he released the other man. "Still, I don't think I'll ask her out again."

"Wait, what?"

Rather than answer the question, Ranma dunked Keitaro.

"Don't worry about my date," Ranma chided him. "Worry about getting a date yourself."

The ronin nodded even as he spat out a mouthful of hot water. "But she said she doesn't like perverts," he muttered_. 'Why the hell aren't you going to ask Mutsumi out if she kissed you?'_

"So stop being a pervert," Ranma suggested. "It's either that or move on to someone else just like you moved on from your promise girl."

"The way you say it makes it sound so easy," Keitaro countered.

The other man sighed. "That's why there's that saying, 'Easier said than done.'"

Both men sat in the hot water for a moment, reflecting on their situations.

"You're still trying to move on, aren't you?" Keitaro finally asked. _'That's why you're not going to ask Mutsumi out again.' _

Standing up, Ranma took a deep breath. The evening air filled his lungs, cooling him as it did. "Easier said than done."

Neither man said anything else as they finished their bath. The silence between them was fairly normal as both became accustomed to each other and neither spoke more than was necessary.

"Hey," Keitaro finally said, breaking the long silence. "I just found my old dojinshi. Wanna check it out?"

Ranma couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing Keitaro's other talents. "Sure."

"I gotta warn you though, make sure the girls don't see you reading it," Keitaro cautioned.

"It's that bad?"

"I don't want them to know that I drew that kind of stuff," the ronin replied. "It's pretty graphic."

* * *

A mound of bright yellow stood in the corner of her workshop, overshadowing the pile of greenish yellow in another corner. It was an unusual thing for her pile of ripe bananas to be larger than the green ones. In truth it was a testament to how devoted she was to discovering the truth behind Ranma Saotome's secret.

The energetic girl never was one for sneaking around. No, she preferred to confront her problems head on. Unfortunately for her, tackling her problem head on meant challenging Ranma and defeating him so that he would feel obliged to answer all her questions. Had it been anyone else she wouldn't have faltered. Anyone else would have been defeated by Mecha-Tama and Rankage. But no, Ranma was a devious man with much power and skill, and very powerful allies in Tama and Kage.

No, she couldn't rely on mere radio or voice controlled automatons against someone of Ranma's caliber. True, she'd still have to rely on her genius and her inventions, but she was light years away from being able to match up with him physically.

Eyeing the magical mushroom, she knew that it was the key. Now all she had to do was find out what the mushroom actually did as well as how to get more.

* * *

'_Graphic,' _Ranma recalled as he read Keitaro's work_, 'that's an understatement._

'_The artwork is superb, but the details… I guess that's why Kuno was always carrying such a large bokken. And he never got to have his way with me or Akane. Still, I can see why no girl would want him if that's all he's packing.'_

Flipping through Keitaro's old dojinshi, it was clear to Ranma why the dorm manager didn't want the girls to see these particular books. _Blue Thunder – the Tales of Tatewaki Kuno_ was supposed to be based on the kendoka's diaries, thus the liberties that the artist had taken in illustrating the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew were understandable. Still…

'_I guess he got part of what he wanted in the end,'_ Ranma sighed as he tried to recall the Incident. _'Guess how he died is still a big secret… still, I don't know if he'd really commit seppuku just because he loved two women. He was already crazy before I met him.'_

Setting the book down, he sighed. _'I can't believe that's what some people thought about us.'_

Closing his eyes, he looked back to his time in Nerima. _'I guess we did destroy a lot of buildings… and Furinkan was closed so much because of our fights… man, we really were so immature…'_

* * *

The way of the sword was all that she knew. Generations upon generations of her family had dedicated their lives to the sword. She was no different. Like many who came before her, the feel of sword in her hands helped to calm her mind. It was no wonder then that she took up her katana whenever she felt uneasy.

'_Do I really like Urashima?'_ she asked herself_. 'How can I like a wimp like Keitaro when there's someone like Ranma around? Saotome's a much better fighter than anyone I know except perhaps Ryoga… and he is handsome, though somewhat insane… still, he has reached a level that I can only dream of achieving.'_

A flash of glimmering light later and three leaves were cut cleanly in half.

'_Urashima is kind, but he's such a failure as a man,'_ she thought as she took a calming breath_. 'What is it about him that Naru and the others are attracted to?'_

The sound of her blade cutting through a dry leaf answered her. Unfortunately that didn't give her the answer she wanted.

'_But neither of them would like an unfeminine person like myself,'_ she concluded_. 'And if I work on becoming more feminine than I lose my edge with my blade… How can I balance the two?'_

A stiff breeze carried a handful of leaves up to the roof, providing her with objects to focus her blade on but not the answers that she sought.

* * *

The three story structure known as the Hinata Sou provided more than enough room for each of the residents. Even if the building had been at full capacity each resident would have more than enough space.

The kitchen was Shinobu's domain. As such everyone acknowledged the young girl as the master of the kitchen regardless of her age. Though Keitaro was the manager, he always checked with Shinobu before purchasing anything for the kitchen, be it food, pots, pans, or even appliances.

As proud as he was, Ranma knew better than to test Shinobu's authority in the kitchen, just as he'd never question Kasumi's authority back at the Tendo's kitchen. Fortunately none of the girls in the Sou were as bad at cooking as Akane was.

"Yo," he said, offering his crude greeting as he entered the young girl's domain.

"Oh, Ranma," the petit girl exclaimed as she noted his presence. "What can I do for you? Is Kage hungry?"

The pigtailed man shook his head, "You really spoil him too much."

Though she had her back to him, he could tell that she had her pleasant smile on her face. It was always on, even when she wasn't happy.

"I just came to help out," he stated.

Shinobu nodded, pointing to the cutting board and the stack of vegetables.

The two worked in silence – he cutting while she tended to the rice.

"You're bothered by something," she said, finally breaking the bubble. "That's why Kage isn't with you, right?"

Maybe it was the aura that Shinobu projected, one eerily similar to the one that Kasumi that drew him to her. Looking back at how the elder Tendo seemed to simply endure, well, everything that went on around her, Ranma couldn't help but hope that Shinobu wasn't headed down that same track.

"You remind me of someone," he stated. "She was always calm and composed, even when there was so much chaos going on around her. Like you, she was a master in the kitchen, and she was kind and compassionate too."

The petit girl nodded, unsure what to say.

"There was a man that she liked," he said once he was sure that she'd processed what he'd said. "And he liked her too. But neither one could bring themselves to tell the other what they felt."

Again Shinobu nodded. "What happened?"

"She died," he answered. "Before either of them could admit their feelings, she died."

"That's so sad," the young maiden said, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Why'd you tell me this?"

"Because," he finally replied as he set his knife down, "I don't want you to make the same mistake that they did."

"But I'm happy," she proclaimed.

"Are you?" he challenged her. "Are you simply happy with a crush? Or do you want something more?

"Keitaro's the only other person who knows this, but I was engaged once. At first I didn't really care about her. We butt heads a lot, and it took a lot of effort for us to get along, but eventually I came to care about her," he explained. "It wasn't until she nearly died that I actually admitted that I did love her. But I never got the change to tell her."

"W-was she your fiancée?" Shinobu asked.

Ranma shook his head, "The one I told you about was her older sister. I'd like to think that she loved him, but being the proper young lady that she was, she wanted him to tell her how he felt about her first."

"But he never got the chance," she finished.

Ranma nodded.

"What happened to him after..?"

The pigtailed martial artist shrugged. "I don't know what happened to him really, he just vanished."

Shinobu sniffed, fighting back the tears. "That's so sad…"

Reaching out, she grabbed a paper towel, dabbing at her eyes.

Sensing Kage stirring, Ranma picked up the knife.

"Shinobu!" Motoko exclaimed as she walked in the kitchen. "Why are you crying?" The kendoka glared at Ranma.

"Onions," the younger girl replied.

"We're making dinner," Ranma stated as he moved to show her the pile of white onions he'd chopped. "I'm just helping her out. Wanna join us?"

Motoko opened her mouth to protest, "Fine."

Both Ranma and Shinobu exchanged looks. In the short time that Ranma had been at the Hinata Sou he'd only seen Motoko help with cooking once. Despite her skill with a blade, it had become immediately clear that she only knew one use for a blade and it wasn't for cooking.

"Why don't you help me with the meat?" Shinobu offered.

Ranma couldn't help but smirk. _'One's a paragon of femininity and the other is a paragon of a swordswoman - what an odd dichotomy. 'Dichotomy' – man, now I know I've been studying too much.'_

The trio worked in relative silence, with only a few words of instruction from Shinobu guiding the two martial artists. With the meat prepared and the rice already cooking, all that was left was for Shinobu to cook the main dish.

"Thanks," Shinobu said as she turned on the stove.

"No problem," Ranma replied.

Motoko simply offered a polite bow.

The two martial artists simply watched as Shinobu heated the wok.

'_How is it that you have been able to reach such an incredible level as a martial artist while also mastering the skills needed to live a normal life?'_ Motoko wondered as she eyed Ranma's work. _'Is everything you do some sort of practice for developing your martial arts skill?'_

Thinking back to her time on training on the mountain, she contemplated the advice he'd given her. "You don't have to be the strongest or fastest, but you have to improve yourself so that when you do face someone faster or stronger than you, you can make up for it and exploit their weaknesses.

"Also, you should know your limits and how far your strengths can take you. Knowing your own weaknesses also helps in that you can prepare for the worst and know how to counter anything that might be used by an opponent to exploit your weaknesses."

'_But does that philosophy also apply to life in general?'_ Motoko pondered as she sat silently beside the master martial artist. _'Could I really balance my skills with the sword and my femininity?'_

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now. Maybe I should start reading Negima again. Maybe not.

Dreamingfox


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes –

Sigh, it was a horrible game, but the Packers just gave the game away to the Bears. Man that sucks. At least the Lions are up next.

* * *

After several restless hours of trying to get some elusive shut-eye, Motoko managed to calm her spirit and mind. The darkness of her mind was comforting to the young maiden.

"But what do you dream of?" a sultry voice asked. "What do you desire?"

The lithe kendoka opened her eyes, the feeling of inner calm noticeably absent as Keitaro and Ranma looked down on her.

'_Wait,_' she thought to herself as she realized how disproportionate she was compared to the two men, _'that's not right.'_

"It's because you see yourself as less than them," the voice explained. "Some sort of Freudian image I guess."

'_That make sense,'_ she thought. "But"

"I can hear what you're thinking."

Instinctively Motoko spun around looking for the source of the voice. A shadowy silhouette stood to her side. Though the darkness masked the woman's face, her silhouette and posture were very familiar.

"Sister?" she asked.

The shadow shook her head. "I'm you," the figure replied. "Or at least I'm the projection of your subconscious mind while you're dreaming."

That made some sense.

"You're conflicted," her dream-self explained. "You've met two men who are better than you, and one who could be your equal despite the fact that he hasn't dedicated as much time into the art as you. It disturbs you."

Though she'd never admit it aloud, Motoko knew the truth. Ranma and Seta were both better than she was. Though Keitaro was a fool and a moron, he had managed to best her. Even Tama had bested her.

"You know that you can't defeat them as you are," the shadow stated. "And the only way Ranma will ever see you as an equal is if you can defeat him."

Her words stung at Motoko, creating a heaviness in the young maiden's heart.

"You know that you never cared for Keitaro, merely returned his kindness," the other said aloud. "But you're willing to settle for him because he's closer to your level will not make you happy. Look at your sister – she found a man who was her better! She gave up so much for him! Would you be willing to do that to have Ranma?"

Motoko clutched at her heart, unsure of herself.

"He's already so much better than you," the voice chided. "If you aren't willing to make the same sacrifices you won't be able to catch up to him."

"What can I do?" she asked.

The shadowy figure smiled. "Come to me," it advised. "Accept me and I'll give you all the power you need."

* * *

The warm light of the early morning slowly invaded the room, illuminating the multitude of trees and other greenery that thrived in the humid room.

'_This room is full of so much life,'_ the shadowy figure thought. _'And she radiates power.' _

Pouncing like the predator that it was, the shadow landed on the older of the two blonds.

"Wah?" the younger of the two girls grumbled sleepily.

Before either girl could react, the shadow pressed its host's lips to the blond girl's, robbing her of her energy.

"Motoko?"

Grinning, the shadow turned on the other girl.

"Mo-Motoko?" the younger blond asked as she tried to back away.

A predatory grin was all the answer the young girl received.

* * *

Life in Hinata was definitely different for Ranma. Though he'd spent the past decade living in virtual solace, his short time in Nerima had left a distinct impression on him. As the alpha male he'd had all the girls' attention, not that he always wanted it. And though he was clearly better than Keitaro, he wasn't the alpha, at least not in regards to the attention that the girls gave him. True, Keitaro had pretty much been the only male around for the majority of the past year, but somehow he'd made an impression on them.

Stealing a casual glance at Mutsumi as he ran behind the girls, he contemplated her words.

"How much longer?" Keitaro managed to ask as the dorm manager struggled to keep up with the master martial artist.

His train of thought disturbed, Ranma raced past the girls. Though Naru and Mutsumi had taken to joining them on their morning runs (to help improve the latter girl's physical endurance) only Naru dared to join the sparring sessions.

"We'll let the girls get to the top of the stairs," Ranma finally answered as the two men reached the top of the stairs again.

Keitaro nodded. "I guess Motoko's still asleep. Probably wants to rest before she goes to school tomorrow."

Feeling the muscles in his forehead contract, Ranma wondered if Keitaro was right. _'She doesn't seem to be the type that'd slack off.'_ Before he could turn to descend the stairs a wave of killer intent and magic hit him. "Shit," he exclaimed. "Keitaro, get the girls away from here."

"Wha?"

"Just do it," he shouted, pushing the nigh-invulnerable ronin down the steps. "Kage, check on the girls."

The loyal canine ran into the Hinata Sou, ignoring the terrible demonic aura that stood atop the building.

"AAAHH!"

Ignoring Keitaro's screams, Ranma dashed towards the Hinata Sou. _'Sara, Shinobu, Su, Mitsune, and Motoko; whatever it is it gotten to them. How did I not notice this sooner?'_

A lone figure appeared on the roof, a vortex of dark energies surrounding her.

'_Shit,'_ he thought as he tried to size up the mysterious being, _'I'm going to have to ditch the weights.'_

Ripping off his shirt, he moved to unstrap the weights that he'd bound to his chest. Before he could finish, the mysterious figure leapt off the roof.

"You must be Ranma," the figure shouted as she flew through the air.

'_Motoko?'_

"I must say, I've never had the pleasure of inhabiting a woman's body before," the possessed girl said, her voice tainted by the demonic blade in her hand. "But she is fairly powerful – far more powerful than I had imagined. You've done well training her."

"Leave her out of this," Ranma growled as he removed the last of the weights on his chest and arms. _'If it were Keitaro instead of me he'd be falling all over himself,'_ the master martial artist thought as he noted that the kendoka wore only panties beneath the aura of dark energies that enveloped her.

"Unfortunately I can't," the possessed girl replied with an evil grin. "You see, she asked me to help her. She wanted my power."

"You're lying," the pigtailed martial artist proclaimed.

"Am I?"

Before he could respond, the slender kendoka charged at him, slashing at him with the demonic blade. Reflexively he dodged the attack, taking several steps back to avoid the strike and the subsequent attacks.

"Ranma!" Keitaro's voice cried out.

'_Shit!'_ "Check on the girls inside!" he ordered the ronin. "Naru, take Mutsumi to the Tea House and see if Seta's around!"

"Don't worry about them," the possessed girl advised. The feel of the tainted blade cutting into his forearm reaffirmed her remark. "The others are fine, for now. They offered little power, especially when compared to you. Still, the one known as Su was a nice little snack."

Motoko licked her lips as she eyed him. Focused on her prey, the demon rushed him.

"I won't let you get away with this, and I know Tsuruko and Ryoga won't either!" Ranma shouted defiantly as he sidestepped a series of thrusts.

The possessed kendoka paused for a second, resetting her feet as the creature eyed him. "No, I won't be able to defeat them as I am now, but once I add your power to my own, then I'll defeat them all.

"You see, this girl wanted more power despite her already considerable skill. Do you even know why such a pure maiden was easily seduced?"

Ranma scowled.

Adopting a sideways stance that suggested a wide slashes, the demonically possessed girl smirked. "She wanted my power so that she could defeat you!"

A low to high diagonal slash forced Ranma back.

"This frail girl lusts for you," the demon taunted. "She wants to be with you but knows that a master martial artist like yourself would never settle for someone not on his level so she sought me out. I can give her the power to defeat you. Too bad you'll die!"

A swift flick of the wrist and a thrust that would have missed his throat turned into a nasty slash that cut his chest, leaving a red trail.

'_Shit,'_ Ranma thought as he leapt even further away, _'she's faster, much faster than before. I can't risk hurting Motoko, but how the hell do I defeat it without hitting Motoko?'_

Relying on his own reaction speed and footwork, Ranma continued to dodge the possessed kendoka even as he contemplated his strategy. "Motoko," he cried out, "I know you're in there!"

"She might be," the demon taunted, "but I'm in control now."

* * *

"Motoko!" Ranma cried out to her.

'_What have I done?'_ she asked herself. _'This isn't what I wanted! Su? Shinobu? Sara? What did I do? I have to stop this!'_

* * *

The calm morning air was disrupted by the razor sharp blade moving at in-human speeds.

'_It's not using just using what Motoko knows,'_ Ranma thought as he barely avoided a vacuum blade created by the swiftly moving blade, _'it's got its own bag of tricks up its sleeves. I've got to stop it, but how?'_

"I know all about you," the demonically possessed girl stated. "Ranma Saotome, the young master of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū. I've never heard of it really, but you've apparently impressed the maiden."

Several quick slashes followed each word, forcing Ranma back.

"You're good," the demon spirit stated. "But how long can you last like that?"

'_Wait, it doesn't know everything,'_ he thought as another vacuum blade nicked him_. 'I just hope she doesn't remember any of this when she wakes up.'_ "Motoko," he growled. "I know you're in there."

A high horizontal slash answered him, allowing the master martial artist to slip past her guard. Catching her left knee with one hand and her sword arm with the other he pushed her back. "Motoko," he called out, "I know you're in there."

"She is," the spirit stated. Deftly flipping the sword from Motoko's right to her left, the swordswoman stabbed him through the side.

The piercing pain lanced through his torso before the sword exited through the other side.

"And now I'm inside of you too."

Ranma locked eyes with Motoko even as he wrapped his right arm around her left, keeping the sword firmly in place. "You screwed up," he gasped. Thick globs of blood from his punctured lungs flew from his lips, landing on Motoko's nearly pristine face. "You shouldn't have switched hands. In that brief second that the blade was in the air I saw your true nature. You can't control her unless she's holding you."

"It doesn't matter," the demon replied. "The wounds I've inflicted will kill you. And when she wakes up she'll know that you died by her hand. But why don't I leave myself inside of you as a parting reminder. Who knows, maybe I'll take over whomever pulls me out of you."

With the blade lodged in his heart and right lung, Ranma could feel the demon relinquish control of Motoko as it forced her to release the blade.

"R-Ranma?" the swordswoman gasped as the demonic energies receded. "No…"

"It's alright," he hissed. Releasing his hold on her arms, he leaned into her for support. Wrapping his hand around the hilt, he quickly extracted the cursed katana before dropping the blood soaked blade onto the ground.

"No," she exclaimed hoarsely. "I…I…"

"It'll be alright," he repeated faintly. Dark spots began to fill his vision. _'Shit, I'm dying… How long will it take for me to heal?'_ he thought to himself. 'I never knew dying would be so painful.'

"Ranma!" the swordswoman cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't," he managed to wheeze out, "don't let anyone touch the sword."

* * *

"Don't – don't let anyone touch the sword."

Her vision blurred by her tears, Motoko nodded. Even in death he focused on what needed to be done and how to deal with the cursed sword.

"I-I'll take care of it once I'm back," he whispered into her ear.

'_What? He doesn't know what he's saying…'_

Still in shock, Motoko tried to support his dead weight. With his body pressed against hers, she could feel his wounded heart pumping blood despite the grievous injuries he'd suffered fighting her. His shallow breathing and rapidly cooling breath against her bare neck told her that he was dying.

'_I have to remain strong,'_ she thought as she steeled herself for the inevitable. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't contain her emotions as she felt the lack of a heart beat in his chest. "Ranma?" she muttered breathlessly. _'He's not breathing!'_ "Ranma!"

"Ranma!" Keitaro cried out as he crested the stairs.

She didn't even care that she was virtually naked despite the fact that Seta and Keitaro were rushing towards her. Ranma's death was on her hands, what need of modesty did she have?

"Keitaro," Seta shouted, keeping the ronin's attention from Motoko. "Call this number."

Retreating into the Hinata Sou, Keitaro left her with Seta.

The older man looked around, taking in the scene. Walking over to Ranma's discarded shirt he picked it up. "Here," he said as he walked over to her.

Motoko shook her head. Hot tears streamed down her cheek. _'I killed him. It's my fault!' _A heavy knot formed in her chest as the knowledge of her sins hit her.

"Take it," a hoarse voice suggested, warm breath brushing against the nape of her neck.

The kendoka blinked. _'His heart! I can feel it beating!'_

"So," Seta said as he walked behind her, "it true."

"Who let it slip," Ranma grunted as he looked up at the archeologist.

"I put things together," the other man stated. "You really are that Ranma Saotome, aren't you?"

The feel of cool silk on her shoulders told her that she wasn't dreaming. "But… your wounds…"

"Healed," Ranma stated as he pulled away from her. "Put it on," he suggested.

"But you died!"

Ranma nodded. "That's the first time I've died in years."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"It's a long story," he said as he looked her in the eyes. "I guess the cat's out of the bag."

* * *

The air in _Saotome's Grill_ was thick with tension and mystery. Ranma, Seta, Motoko, and Keitaro sat in one of the three private rooms in back. It had taken less than half an hour for Keitaro the check on the other girls, giving Motoko enough time to clean the blood off of her and to get some clothes on. For his part Ranma had just donned the same clothes he'd worn during his work out that morning sans the weights. With the others alright and now in Naru and Mutsumi's care, the four martial artists had rushed to _Saotome's Grill _to deal with the fall out of a duel between two martial artists.

Ukyo had initially been distressed, but Konatsu had been surprisingly supportive of his wife. Fortunately their restaurant was close enough for them to use for their meeting. Still, the five hour wait had passed in silence as the assembled martial artists hadn't been able to speak a word to each other since they arrived.

"Where's Haruna?" Ranma finally managed to ask as he eyed his adopted brother.

"The fall term starts tomorrow so she went back yesterday," the cross-dresser replied. "Would you like something to eat?"

Ranma nodded.

"How about a Sakura Special," Tsuruko suggested as she entered the back room.

Beside him, Motoko stiffened at her sister's voice. Though the elder sibling was the acting head of the Shinmeiryu, it was only a temporary matter. Still, it was clear that Motoko both idolized and feared her sister.

"Long time no see," a gruff voice greeted. Of course Ryoga would come as well seeing as how this matter involved someone from the school he was the Grandmaster for. "I'll take a Nerima Special."

The polite ninja offered a slight bow.

"Three of the House Specials," Seta said. "For us," he added as he glanced at Keitaro.

"Surprise me," Ranma said with a weak smile.

"I'll have those in a few minutes," Konatsu said with a parting bow.

"Hi," Keitaro greeted, offering a polite bow. "It's good to see you."

"What is that dreadful aura?" the elder swordswoman asked as she eyed the quartet. Eyes scanning the room, it was no surprise that she locked her eyes onto the cursed blade.

Beside her, Ryoga did the same.

"A cursed blade," he grumbled. "I never sensed this when I was there the last time."

"Nor did I," Tsuruko added. "May I?"

Ranma nodded all eyes now on him as he approached the cursed blade. Gripping the handle, he pulled the blade out of the bloody cloth.

Ryoga eyed him for a moment before nodding. "It appears that the blade tried to possess you," the grandmaster stated.

Ranma nodded.

"That is the cursed blade, Hina," Tsuruko said as she eyed the black blade.

At the mention of the name of the blade, Motoko stiffened.

"Once, centuries ago, the wielder of that cursed blade fought the entire Shinmeiryu," the older Aoyama explained to everyone. "We were nearly wiped out. Only the strongest members survived and they were able to seal it away. Unfortunately it was lost a century later when the Emperor disbanded the Samurai Class. I wonder how it got here."

"It's my sword," Keitaro blurted out.

Everyone turned to face him.

"Granny left it to me," Keitaro explained. "I've left it in one of the unused drawers in my room."

"That's why I always felt uneasy studying in your room," Ranma muttered.

The other master martial artists nodded.

"It must have been sealed," Tsuruko stated.

"Even the best seals wear away," Ryoga added as he glanced at Ranma.

"I broke it," Motoko suddenly said. Her head hung low in shame. "It called out to me in my dreams because it picked up on my desire to be stronger than Ranma."

"Wow, you don't get any breaks, do you?" Ryoga chuckled as he turned to face his former rival.

Ranma sighed. "Magic swords, cursed swords, magic glasses, techno-suits," he counted on his fingers. "Oh, and don't forget Martial Arts Calligraphy."

Seeing his former rival suddenly avert his eyes, Ranma smiled.

"You've had this happen before?" Motoko asked.

"When you're the best everyone else is gonna be gunning for you," the pigtailed martial artist stated. "It's no surprise that they'd stoop to using dubious means and magical cheats to defeat me."

Seeing Motoko sink further into her seat, Ranma wished he could take back his careless words.

"Whose blood stains the sword?" Tsuruko asked, diverting everyone's attention from her sister.

"Mine," Ranma replied.

"A death blow?" Ryoga asked; his eyes focused on the immortal martial artist.

Ranma nodded. "Pierced my right lung and heart."

"That's why I can hold the sword without getting possessed," he stated. "It tried to kill me. Well, it did kill me. Still, now that it knows I'm immortal it wants to control me even more."

"Immortal?" Motoko exclaimed breathlessly.

Ranma nodded. Flipping the sword, he pulled up his shirt before plunging it into his stomach.

"I think you could have cut your arm off instead or let her cut it off then use it as a club," Ryoga joked. "It would have been more dramatic."

"And bloody," Ranma groaned as he felt his internal injuries heal. "Besides, getting stabbed through the heart was pretty dramatic."

"But getting your arm cut off would have been more dramatic," Tsuruko smirked.

"Yeah, just side with your husband," Ranma said with a lopsided smirk.

"The benefits of married life," Ryoga replied with a smile.

Glancing at Motoko and Keitaro it was clear that they were lost.

"I know that the girls thought you were immortal," Ranma said as he patted Keitaro's shoulder. "But there's a difference between really being immortal and just being durable."

"He's been that way for ten years," Ryoga explained.

"Ten years?" Motoko muttered. "That's why you were sealed on the mountain! That stone that Keitaro destroyed accidentally… it was a seal. The boulders around it were meant to alert the wolves and to keep you away from it."

Ranma nodded; a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"But why would you need to seal Ranma away?" Keitaro asked.

"Because he was a threat," Tsuruko replied. "The magical community of Japan, which the Shinmeiryu is part of, had previously felt that Ranma and the others in Nerima would help the rest of Japan come to terms with the existence of magic, thus giving them some free reign. It wasn't until the Amazons ultimately crossed the line that we were forced to react. Memories were altered and they set up a decree that all magic and supernatural activities were to be hidden from the general public. The decree also allowed the magi to turn any who violated that law into an ermine. Due to the sheer power of Ranma's curse, he couldn't be punished that way, but they also couldn't risk allowing him to wander around in case he accidentally undid the memory charms."

"Ranma was the unwitting victim of circumstance," Ryoga clarified. "He wasn't supposed to survive his curse. Everyone else who was there turned into immortal monsters."

"Lost Souls," Seta muttered.

"Yeah," Ranma grumbled darkly.

"The Nerima Incident," the archeologist replied. "The end of the Golden Age of Martial Arts in Japan."

"That picture…" Keitaro muttered as he recalled Kitsune's evidence.

"That's me," Ranma said boldly. "I haven't aged a day in ten years. But since most people probably don't remember me it's easy to just claim that it was Konatsu instead of me."

The younger kendoka looked at the two Saotomes, unsure what to think.

"Ten years ago, no, eleven years ago, I arrived in Nerima," he said. "That's when everything started."

* * *

The lingering sunlight shone through the western facing windows of the restaurant. Unable to close the restaurant down, Ukyo and Konatsu had at least managed to give them a private room away from any prying eyes and ears.

Though Ranma glossed over some of the adventures from a decade ago Motoko didn't cared to ask about those other adventures as she all focused on the meat of the story – the multiple relationships, rivals, and fiancées that had sparked what was known as Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts. It wasn't until the end of their tale that Tsuruko had spoken up, offering her point of view on the Nerima Incident.

"And that's when I met Ryoga and Ranma for the first time," Tsuruko said, a fond smile on her face. "Ranma was of course in a berserker rage, but he'd managed to calm down. They convinced us that if anyone was to end the existence of those Lost Souls, it was Ranma."

The pigtailed boy nodded with a sigh.

"It was decided that we would seal Ranma," the elder Aoyama explained. "It wasn't that he was a threat to us, but we feared that he might seek revenge against the Amazons."

"Well he had every right to!" Motoko exclaimed, her fiery temper getting the best of her after hearing of Ranma's tragic past.

"That he does," Ryoga seconded. "But with his new curse he would be unstoppable. I would have joined him had he chosen that path, but we both knew that we couldn't blame all the Amazons for the faults of their society and of a misguided elder."

"So what happened?" Keitaro asked.

"Mousse and Shampoo went back to China," Ryoga answered. "She lost her warrior status and he tried to find the mermaid flesh so that he could destroy it."

"Did he succeed?" the ronin asked.

Ranma shook his head. "Yes and no – he found one of the sources, but he also discovered that the Amazons had more than one mermaid. He didn't discover where the rest were before he died."

"So what happened to the Amazons?" Keitaro asked.

"They've been weakened," Ryoga replied. "Their enemies took advantage of the loss of one of their more powerful and prominent elders as well as the dissention that Mousse and Shampoo caused when they returned. Their enemies have kept the Amazons from venturing out of their lands and keep others from venturing into their lands. Rather than outright war they've chosen to let the Amazons traditions and cultures die out."

"Granny knew, didn't she?" Keitaro finally asked. "That's why she worded your lease contract the way she did."

Ranma shrugged. "Yeah."

"Walk with me sister," Tsuruko said as she turned to Motoko.

The four men watched as the two siblings exited the room.

"How long have you known?" Ranma asked as he turned towards Seta.

The archeologist eyed the immortal, his casual smile on his face. "Since Kitsune told me about the picture. The thing is; you're not the first Immortal I've met."

Three sets of eyes turned to the scruffy man.

"When I was a child no older than Sara, I encountered three immortals," Seta explained. "Well, technically four.

"There was a boy in my school –his mother had survived a serious boating accident weeks before school started while her husband died of serious burns. Despite the fact that they'd both been burned badly, she never showed any signs of scarring weeks after the accident. Soon after Masato arrived, claiming to be her son from a previous marriage.

"Not long after that two more immortals, Yuta and Mana, appeared. It was mere coincidence that they did really. They were travelers constantly on the move, but when they heard the tale of the boy and his mother they began to investigate.

"I don't know the full details, but because he didn't age he was trapped in the body of a child. He said that he'd been alive for over 800 years, and that he'd traveled the land feeding women the flesh of mermaids so that he could have an immortal companion. Finally during the twilight of the last war he found his 'mother' but felt that she was no longer suited to caring for him. He tried to create a new 'mother' but created a Lost Soul instead.

"The other immortals fought the Lost Soul, allowing Masato to capture the girl in hopes that she would be his new 'mother'. Fortunately Yuta, the other immortal, was able to defeat the Lost Soul and free his companion, Mana."

"What happened to Masato?" Ranma asked, intrigued by the tale.

"He tried to flee in a car but ended up in a head on collision with a truck," Seta said with a sorrowful sigh. "Apparently his body was immolated in the resulting accident.

"Ten years later I encountered Yuta and Mana again while out on an archeological excavation. I recognized them immediately of course as neither had aged at all."

The three martial artists slowly processed his tale, unsure what to make of it.

"So, why are you researching mermaids and those who hunt for them?" Ranma asked, clearly skeptical of the other man.

"I guess it's because I wanted to be closer to Yuta," the archeologist replied. "I idolized him as a kid and when I saw him during that dig I figured that if I were to research mermaid lore more I would cross paths with him again just as I did that time.

"But after time I realized just how interesting the field is. Ancient folklore and mythology surrounding mermaids as well as other mythical creatures are fascinating."

* * *

The gentle glow of a single flame shone brightly in the small private room as the two Shinmeiryu swordswomen sat across from each other.

"Why did you accept the sword?" Tsuruko finally asked.

"I don't know."

Seeing the flame tremble, the elder sibling frowned. "You're lying."

Motoko blinked even as the flame shook violently. "I-I wanted to defeat Ranma."

The flame's erratic movements lessened though it stilled though it still flickered.

"Do you love him?" Tsuruko asked.

The flame wavered.

"I… I don't know."

The tiny beacon of light continued to flicker.

"As the future head of the Shinmeiryu you would not be allowed to marry him," Tsuruko stated.

Startled by her sister's proclamation, Motoko simply gaped at her sister. _'How did she make that transition?'_

Tsuruko didn't even bother to look at her sister, focusing instead on the flame as it pointed towards her and away from the younger Aoyama sibling. "You'd never have children, so you would have to choose someone as your heir and as the future leader to succeed you. Our future leader must have a child to pass on her skills to."

"Than why did you refuse to be the leader?" Motoko demanded. For the first time in her life the younger sibling dared to raise her voice at her sister. "Why did brother Eishun forfeit the title? Both of you have children – yet because there was someone else who could be the heir and leader instead, both of you passed the mantle!"

Tsuruko sighed. The tiny flame was practically horizontal. "What we did was not because we felt that there was someone else who could carry the burden," she replied. "We both felt that there was someone more deserving, someone with greater potential than either of us had."

Unwilling to give in so easily, Motoko continued to glare at her sister. "Am I to believe that you and Eishun both think that I will surpass you both?"

"No," Tsuruko replied, a light smile on her face. "Only I thought so. Eishun believes that I would surpass him in the skill with the sword. As you know, he prefers to use a bastard version of our style and combines it with magic. It is not the formal Shinmeiryu style, but it is acceptable. Unfortunately not everyone in the Shinmeiryu can use magic so it was deemed to be an unsuitable style for the head of the Shinmeiryu to practice and teach."

The flame flickered as it slowly raised itself to a 60 degree angle.

"I believe that you will surpass me," Tsuruko added. "Eventually. Right now you possess far more speed and power than I did at your age, but you lack the maturity and discipline to reach your full potential. The fact that you allowed your heart and emotions to cloud your judgment as well as the fact that you let your pride get the better of you proves it."

Slowly the flame stood straight up, flickering even as Motoko's emotions wavered.

"Though you are being groomed as the next head of the Shinmeiryu, I cannot allow you to go unpunished," the elder swordswoman said. "You maybe the future leader, but right now I am the acting head."

Motoko bowed her head. Slowly, she knelt before her sister.

"You are fortunate that you killed an immortal," Tsuruko stated. "What is the standard punishment for someone who kills an innocent?"

"Indentured servitude to the victim's closest kin," Motoko replied. "I understand. I shall help Saotome-sama with his restaurant."

"Fortunately Ranma managed to survive his death," Tsuruko interjected. "You shall serve him until you pay off the debt."

Sitting up straight, Motoko eyed her sister. "You can't be serious!"

"I am," Tsuruko replied. "Clearly it was Ranma's presence that threatened you in some way. You must learn to overcome that if you are to become a true master of the Shinmeiryu style. You cannot allow your emotions to sway you or your sword.

"But you are right. You shall serve Konatsu here at the Grill, but you shall also undertake direct training from Ranma."

Motoko bowed her head, accepting her sister, no, the acting head of the Shinmeiryu's punishment. "How long?"

"Until you can master the cursed blade," Tsuruko replied. "But to get it fairly, you must be able to defeat Ranma for the right to wield it."

* * *

"According to Shinmeiryu Law, Motoko is in your debt," Ryoga said as he poured himself some tea.

Ranma simply eyed his former rival.

"She killed you," the grandmaster stated.

"But I'm still alive," Ranma countered.

"True, but only because you're immortal." Setting the tea kettle down, the he eyed Ranma then Keitaro. "She didn't know that you were immortal."

"It wasn't her fault – the sword made her do it," Ranma protested.

"True," Ryoga admitted as he leaned back in his seat. "But she allowed herself to be manipulated by the sword. As the current head of the Shinmeiryu Tsuruko can't allow Motoko, the future head of the Shinmeiryu, claim that position with this mark against her. How would it look to have the leader of a school dedicated to eradicating demons and evil spirits be someone who was weak enough to allow herself to be possessed by a demon spirit? If she can't atone for her sins she'll be forced to commit ritual suicide and Tsuruko would be forced to choose someone else to succeed her.

"Do you think Tsuruko would really want her sister to commit seppuku?"

Grinding his teeth, Ranma shook his head. When he'd been faced with that choice he hadn't wanted to do it either despite the stupid contract that his pops had made him sign.

"Normally," Ryoga said as he visibly relaxed, "she'd be placed in the care of her victim's next of kin, serving them until she could repay her life debt."

"But?" Ranma interjected.

"Since you're immortal, Tsuruko will probably have her serve you."

'Shit!' Ranma thought as he found himself rubbing his forehead. 'I knew something like this was going to happen.'

"You know," Keitaro said thoughtfully, "that's pretty reasonable."

The pigtailed martial artist turned to the Urashima heir.

"When she lost to me she had to abide by my rules until she could prove herself my better," the ronin explained.

Ranma blinked. "When was this?"

"Before you came obviously," Keitaro replied.

Ryoga grinned. "See, it's been done before, sort of."

Keitaro nodded. "We'll just tell the other girls that you two had an impromptu duel and that since she lost she must now attend to you. That way no one knows about your immortality and the two of you can continue to stay at the Hinata Sou."

"You know," Konatsu interrupted as he gathered their empty plates, "it's kind of like how I served Ukyo for so long before we were married."

Three of the four men blinked, surprised by the ninja waiter's off-handed remark.

"I think you should talk to Tsuruko," Ranma finally suggested.

Ryoga shook his head. "As the Grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū I cannot interfere with the Shinmeiryu's business."

* * *

An uneasy tension filled the void between Ranma and Motoko as the two swordswomen returned to the back room.

'_Shit!'_ the pigtailed man thought as he read the stoic face of the girl opposite of him. _'Tsuruko's already informed Motoko of her punishment.'_

"Ranma," the elder Aoyama said, turning her fierce eyes on the immortal. "How is it that Motoko was able to stab you?"

Blinking, Ranma tried to think back to the end of the fight. "Well, I stepped into her guard and caught her sword hand. She managed to pass the sword to her other hand, but in that brief moment I saw that the sword had relinquished control of her body. If not for the fact that the spirit was already moving to catch the sword, I think that Motoko could have been freed."

Tsuruko and Ryoga nodded, visualizing the end of the fight.

"Thank you," Tsuruko finally said.

Kneeling beside her sister, the acting head of the Shinmeiryu motioned for Konatsu to do the same beside Ranma.

With his former rivals on either side of him, Ranma began to run through the various scenarios.

"I've decided," Tsuruko said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "It is unacceptable for a Shinmeiryu swordswoman to cut down an innocent, even if it is a duel or under demonic possession. While it is fortunate that you survived, it was only because of your immortality.

"Shinmeiryu Law requires that Motoko serve your next of kin until her debt can be repaid. As such Motoko shall work at Saotome's Grill."

Refraining from breathing a sigh of relief, Ranma took a deep, calming breath.

"But, seeing as how she must become stronger if she is to succeed me as the next leader of the Shinmeiryu," Tsuruko added. "Motoko must train under you so that she can one day master the cursed blade Hina.

"Ranma, as you are the only one who can wield it without fear of it corrupting or consuming you, you are now the guardian and keeper of the blade. You must do everything in your power to train Motoko so that she can master the blade as well. When Motoko is ready, she will challenge you for the right to the sword. If she cannot best you she will be removed from the Shinmeiryu."

Both Ranma and Motoko blinked. Neither had expected the last twist.

The younger Aoyama took a deep breath, calming her nerves. "I accept your judgment mistress."

"I accept your judgment Mistress Aoyama," Konatsu added with a solemn bow.

"I accept," Ranma added as he also offered a polite bow.

Tsuruko smiled. "Get some rest," she advised her sister. "You start tomorrow after school. If I'm not mistake, you also spar with Ranma and Keitaro every morning as well."

* * *

The long walk home proved to be just what the two young martial artists and the immortal needed as they contemplated all that they'd been told. Though Keitaro was durable and Ranma as actually immortal, none of them dared to risk riding in Seta's van.

"Keitaro," Seta finally said, breaking the long silence that had accompanied them since they had left the restaurant.

"Yeah?" the ronin asked as he turned to look at his mentor.

"I was thinking of having Sara stay at the Hinata Sou," the archeologist said as he pulled out a cigarette. "Haruka's already helped me register her for school and Sara has taken a liking to everyone there."

"That's fine," Keitaro shrugged.

"Thanks," Seta replied with a smile. "Oh, and don't forget, I've got another project coming up if you've got the time to help out."

Keitaro nodded, "Sure."

"Good, I'll pick you up next weekend."

"You're not going back to the Hinata Sou?" Keitaro asked.

Seta shook his head. "I've got to get back to Todai to get some work done for my lectures tomorrow."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things there.

Dreamingfox


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes –

Damn… at least the Packers finished strong and beat the Lions. I think people have underestimated just how good that team is… I wonder how things will be when their QB comes back. And Washington is better than they play. The Pack needs to put their opponents away early because they lose steam and let teams like Washington and Detroit back into the game. Damn… Come on Green Bay!

Damn, Moss is back in Purple and Gold for the Vi-Queens… that could be good or bad for everyone.

Ships haven't been decided yet.

Thanks to everyone at TFF for your helpful input.

* * *

The atmosphere around the Hinata Sou was thick with unspoken tension. Though Ranma, Motoko, Keitaro, Naru, and Mutsumi exercised together in the mornings the three ronin often left Ranma and Motoko to spar together after the kendoka returned from her late evenings of working at _Saotome's Grill_. Despite his increased focus on sparring at night, Ranma made remarkable progress after each study session as he achieved scores that exceeded even Naru and the surprisingly intelligent Mutsumi.

After only a week, things were slowly getting back to normal. Well, normal was a relative term, especially at the Hinata Sou. Despite the fact that he had survived being impaled, Motoko couldn't help but feel indebted to the master martial artist. Though she was kept relatively busy with her morning training, school, kendo club, and working at Saotome's Grill, the kendoka had begun to insert herself into Ranma's daily routine even more by cleaning his room and offering to serve him dinner/meals.

Fortunately something similar had happened before between Motoko and Keitaro, thus making it an easy transition for the other residents of the Hinata Sou to accept. Still, Ranma couldn't help but feel… cramped, no, violated by the fact that she had taken to coming into his room unannounced while he was either studying, in the bath, or training.

"You got an A on the last practice test," Naru remarked as she looked over his exam, breaking him from his tangent thoughts.

Ranma nodded. "Didn't you get an A as well?"

"Yeah, she did," Keitaro replied absently. "But it's still a few more months before the big exam."

"You got a B, right?" the pigtailed martial artist asked as he turned to the other man.

Keitaro smiled. "Yeah."

"Do you want to go on a date?" Mutsumi suddenly asked as she leaned into Keitaro.

Instinctively Ranma and Keitaro glanced at Naru.

"You have done pretty well with your studies lately," she remarked, as she crossed her arms over her ample breasts. "I guess even you deserve something of a treat for doing so well."

"Um, okay," Keitaro replied meekly the dorm manager turned towards the busty brunette.

"Good," Mutsumi smiled sweetly. "How about tonight?"

"Sure."

Ranma glanced at Naru beside him, still trying to decipher her body language. Though she had verbally said that it was okay, it was clear by her body language that she wasn't okay with things.

Distracted as she was, Naru failed to notice that the train had reached the next stop. The sudden deceleration and the fact that both of her hands were crossed over her breasts caused her to lean into the pigtailed martial artist.

"Oh," she exclaimed as she realized that her breast was pressed against his arm.

His mouth open to protest his innocence, Ranma looked down at Naru.

"Ranma," she muttered as she locked eyes with him. "You've improved a lot as well."

"Um, yeah," he replied as he turned to face her.

"You deserve a reward for your hard work too," she added. "Do you wanna go out tonight?"

Ranma paused.

"It'll be a treat for the two of us," the auburn haired girl explained. "It's not a date."

"O-kay…"

"Good," she smiled as she leaned into him.

Despite being able to feel the warmth from her body, Ranma couldn't help but feel a slight shiver run up his spine.

* * *

The light early evening crowd at Saotome's Grill was busier than usual, which was to say that it wasn't terribly busy. With the restaurant nearly serving only martial artists exclusively, it was no surprise that the restaurant wasn't always busy. The handful of martial artists that came rarely stayed long, most preferring to simply call in orders in advance. Only one out of three actually stayed in and those tended to sit at the grill.

Still, working at Saotome's Grill though wasn't easy. Unlike working at the Hinata Café, Motoko found that her time under Ukyo and Konatsu was grueling. The continuous cutting of the ingredients, cleaning, and all the sheer number of orders that some of the customers called in kept her busy.

'_At least only Ukyo does the sauces and batters,'_ the kendoka thought as she cut the cabbage into fine strips.

"Motoko," the gentle voice of Ranma's adopted brother called out.

"Saotome-san," she replied as she looked up from the cutting board.

"Please," he said gently, "call me Konatsu."

"Yes, Konatsu, sir," she corrected with a bow.

"I know that your sister has set conditions on your debt to myself and Ranma," the ninja waiter stated. "Since we're not terribly busy today I'm going to show you best how to defeat Ranma."

Motoko blinked, unsure how to take what she was hearing.

"I'm sure you know that once, nearly ten years ago I fought Ranma and lost," the ninja explained. "But in our short fight, I realized his weaknesses. Weaknesses that you can, no, must take advantage of if you hope to defeat him."

"But, I cannot accept such training," the proud warrior stated.

"Ranma and Ryoga both practice Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū, but they are polar opposites," Konatsu explained. "Basically, anything goes in a true duel. Weapons, ki techniques; anything and everything is acceptable. Ryoga practices more of the Tendo style which is based on offense and power where as Ranma practices the Saotome style which is more defensive and reactionary but is also an aerial style."

Motoko nodded, mentally noting what Ranma's adopted brother told her of her future opponent. "Why would you help me though?"

"Both Ukyo and I want Ranma to be happy," Konatsu said with a bitter sweet smile. "I, no, we, think that you might be able to help him find that happiness."

Blood rushed to the young kendoka's face, causing her to blush at his words.

"That's not to say that you're the one," the older martial artist amended. "But you could help him heal his heart."

Taking a calming breath, Motoko nodded. "What must I do to defeat Ranma?"

* * *

A cool autumn breeze greeted the mousy haired woman as she watched the two pairs descend the long stairs.

"My, this is really getting interesting," the sly eyed woman remarked as she watched her best friend and rival walk beside the mysterious martial artist.

"Kitsune!" a gentle voice called out. "Dinner's ready."

Ignoring the younger girl, Kitsune focused her binoculars on Keitaro and Mutsumi.

"Kitsune," Shinobu called out again, this time significantly closer.

"I heard ya," the older woman replied.

"What are you doing?" the younger girl asked.

"Nothing," she lied.

"You're spying on Sempai," Shinobu shouted indignantly.

"Well, if you insist," the clever woman smirked. Standing up she turned to the younger girl.

"Can I come?" Su interjected.

'_Where did she come from?'_ Kitsune thought as she looked for the young foreigner.

"My latest invention," Su's voice proclaimed as the silver clad girl slowly appeared before the others. "I invented it to spy on Ranma. But even though I can turn invisible he knows when I'm around."

"Still trying to avenge Mecha-Tama and Rankage?" Kitsune asked.

Su nodded her head vigorously. "I've already deployed Mecha-Tama Mark 7 and Rankage 3 to try and discover any of his weaknesses."

Both Kitsune and Shinobu blinked.

"Hey," Sara's voice interjected as the younger blond girl slowly appeared. "When did you install a spy camera?"

"I already told you," Su smirked. "This is Mecha-Tama Mark 7 and Rankage 3. Mark 6 had the plasma grenade that kept overheating so I took it out an installed the camera and spy satellite on Mark 7."

Kitsune smirked. "So we can see what they see, right?"

Su nodded.

The older woman smiled wickedly. "Good."

* * *

Beads of hot sweat trickled down her beet red face as the young kendoka gulped in a mouthful of air. After only an hour of intense instruction the former protégé martial artist had shown her all the basic skills that she'd need to develop and build upon if she were to ever hope to defeat Ranma.

Several meters away her mentor and opponent wiped the sweat from his own brow. "If you can master those skills," the ninja said as he stood tall, "you should be able to defeat Ranma."

"Should?" the exasperated woman protested.

"I've given you the basic skills you'll need to take advantage of his weaknesses," Konatsu stated. "You've already got a few things going for you."

"Like?"

"You're a woman – Ranma rarely ever goes all out against women. He'll treat you like a woman first, a martial artist second."

Motoko opened her mouth to further protest.

"Just listen," the former cross-dressing ninja stated. "When I first fought Ranma he thought I was a woman, and he held back. But when he realized I was actually a man, he didn't hold back. He's that much better than me."

The kendoka nodded, absorbing the information as she straightened her blouse.

"Ranma's that much better than everyone, even Ryoga," Konatsu stated. "I've grown old, he hasn't. The rest of us have grown, matured, and become better fighters. Our only advantage over him is that he hasn't dedicated himself to the art over the last decade. He might have practiced, but he hasn't pushed himself beyond perfection nor has he had the same drive and passion for the art that he once did.

"Still, he's out of your league. If we don't surprise him with some secret technique and overwhelm him right off the bat we wouldn't be able to defeat him over the long run."

"So, how do I beat him?"

Konatsu turned to look at her, fierce determination in his eyes. "Ranma is going to hold back because he sees you as inherently inferior to him, he thinks everyone is inferior to him."

Motoko opened her mouth to protest, yet for some reason she couldn't voice her objections.

"Only Happosai and Cologne were able to get him to go all out," Konatsu explained. "Shampoo was dealt a swift defeat because Ranma wanted to end their fight quickly; Akane wasn't even close to being in his league; he thought Ukyo was a guy the first time they fought and after that they never fought again. Ranma would fight his three primary rivals at once, always getting the better of them."

"So I have no chance?"

"You have a chance, if you take advantage of what I've taught you and what I'm about to tell you.

"Ranma will hold back. He routinely handicaps himself in inane martial arts challenges, manages to master those styles, find a way to exploit the flaws or how to use his other skills to defeat that technique, and wins."

Motoko took a moment to put everything together. "I have to set a handicap that will take advantage of his weaknesses?"

Konatsu looked at her expectantly.

Straining her mind, the kendoka looked for some possible detail that she'd overlooked.

Konatsu smiled. "We'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

Despite his former reputation and looks, Ranma Saotome could count the number of dates he'd been on with just the fingers of his hands. Yes, it was a sad reality for the proud young man. Then again, he'd never really cared about dates before, not really. It wasn't that he didn't find the girls in Nerima attractive, because they were, but the implications of him taking anyone on a date were often disastrous.

Then again, just going to school had led to nearly as much property damage…

"You alright?" Naru asked as she stole a sideways glance at him.

Ranma paused a second before answering (as his old habit of just spouting off tended to lead to something bad happening). "Not really. I think we're being followed."

Before the auburn haired beauty beside him could turn to look, he put his arm around shoulders, "Don't look." Though he pulled her in close, he knew that he couldn't risk tipping off whoever it was that was watching him, er, them, until he'd figured out just where their hidden observer was.

The feel of Naru's perky breast pressing against his chest though distracted him just enough to keep him from locating their observer, if at least only momentarily.

With his free hand, he reached into his pocket. Pulling out the dog whistle, he put it to his lips and blew, sending Kage a secret message.

"What are you doing?" Naru demanded, her tone slightly annoyed.

"I think something's following Keitaro and Mutsumi too," he replied.

"Kitsune," his date muttered.

"Actually, I don't think it's human," the martial artist replied.

Naru paused as she contemplated his words. With Ranma's arm draped firmly over her shoulders it was no surprise that she was pulled off the higher step. For the briefest of moments she was falling. Only the fact that she was with a skilled, no, a master martial artist kept her from falling and ruining her skirt as the athletic man beside her literally swept her off her feet before jumping the rest of the way down the stairs. Gently the pair landed on the landing, none the worse for the experience.

"You alright?" he asked.

Naru found herself gazing into his bright blue eyes as her heart beat rapidly. "Yeah," she replied breathlessly.

Slowly he set her down, not wanting to make the wrong impression in that situation.

* * *

"He's doing it!" Kitsune shouted. The sly eyed woman was so caught up in the moment that she failed to realize that she'd stood up, obstructing the view that the younger girls had of the giant monitor.

"What's he doing?" Su asked innocently.

"He's going to kiss her!" Shinobu proclaimed as she covered half her face with her hands. Even the naïve young maiden couldn't help but keep her eyes glued to the monitor.

"He's so… aggressive," Sara remarked as she threw popcorn at the other monitor. "But he's more of a man than Keitaro!"

Shinobu scowled at the youngest and newest resident's assessment. Even she was drawn to watch the action on that screen over watching Keitaro and Mutsumi's date. Aside from the fact that nothing was happening in their date, the fact that Ranma was putting the moves on Naru held much more promise for the young maiden.

They all watched as Ranma put his arm around Naru's shoulders.

"He's really going for it!" Kitsune exclaimed.

"Sit down!" Shinobu and Sara shouted in unison.

Suddenly Ranma swept Naru off her feet, leaping into the air as he did so. Gently the pair landed before Ranma delicately set the auburn haired woman down.

"He's got some mad skills," Sara smirked.

"Go, go," Kitsune cheered.

Suddenly the screen filled with black and white static, robbing them of any further chance to follow the progress of that couple's date.

"What happened?" four voices cried out.

Only Su hadn't cried out despite the fact that it was her invention monitoring the pair. "Something took out Rankage!" the proud inventor proclaimed. "NOOO! Rankage! I will avenge you!"

* * *

The feel of warm, raspy breath running down his the skin of his neck sent a wave of warmth through his body. He wanted to say something, he really did. Something like "You could let go now" or even "Are you alright?" would have worked. Yet he just couldn't say anything as he felt the warmth of her body pressed against his.

"Um," he finally said as he slowly started regain the use of his lips, throat, and everything else that allowed him to speak. "We should get going," he suggested.

Naru gulped. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

* * *

"What?" Kitsune shouted as she looked at the other monitor.

With little happening in Keitaro and Mutsumi's date, the sly eyed woman had convinced everyone else to force Su to divert Mecha-Tama to tailing after Ranma and Naru. Though Shinobu had initially protested, even the young maiden had relented as her own curiosity had swayed her.

It was like watching a Korean drama really. They were humorous and dramatic, offering such an odd blend of the two element to make the story entertaining.

Seeing Ranma and Naru part though they couldn't help but wonder what they'd missed.

"No!" Kitsune screamed at the monitor.

"Hey," Sara exclaimed as she pointed at the image on the screen. "Isn't that Rankage?"

"Wha?" Su tried to turn the flying mecha to get a better view.

"Why'd the screen go green?" Shinobu asked.

Suddenly screen went blank, just as the other screen had done.

"NO!"

* * *

"NO!"

The scream carried down the mountainside to the sensitive ears of the martial artist.

Ranma looked back at the Hinata Sou.

"Something wrong?" Naru asked.

"I thought I heard something," he replied. "Anyways, there's this theater that's showing Ninja Scroll."

"You're taking me to see an anime?" she asked skeptically.

"I've fallen behind on my anime in the past ten years," he replied. "It's not like I'm gonna take you to see a marathon of anime or anything, just a classic one that I missed while on the mountain."

Seeing the look on her face, it was clear that it was going to be a hard sell.

"It's not starting yet, so why don't we hit up an ice cream shop?" he proposed.

The fact that she was still leaning against his shoulder and arm even though there was no need to nearly escaped his attention. "There's this place I ran across the other day, I'm sure you'd like it."

* * *

"There's a Godzilla over here!" Keitaro exclaimed as he pointed to the photo booth. "It's got a rare image of Godzilla climbing the Empire State Building in New York. I can't wait to add this one to my collection."

"Me too," the busty brunette added with a smile. "I can't believe we found one with Ruri Hoshino and the Nadesico."

"Yeah, these are going to be a great addition," he smiled thoughtfully.

"I'm glad," Mutsumi said as she reached out and took Keitaro's hand.

Feeling her soft hand in his, Keitaro stopped. _'She's holding my hand! She's holding my hand!'_ He blinked, unsure what to do. '_What do I do?_'

"Why don't we get something to eat?"

"Yeah." Looking around, he tried to think of the restaurants in the area. Spotting a soba vendor though, he turned back to his date. "Why don't we go over there?"

* * *

"I, I don't know if we should be doing this," the meek girl remarked as she eyed the older of the two energetic blonds.

"But we can't depend on Mecha-Tama or Rankage," Su grumbled as she checked the display of her hand-held device. "Besides, the tracking device I put into Keitaro's pants are working perfectly."

"Why did you put a tracker on the dork?" the other blond asked.

Su shrugged as she pointed toward in the direction that they needed to go. Though the four girls each wore one of her newly invented stealth suits, none of them dared to get too close to the couple.

"I had her do it," Kitsune finally answered. "He ran away after failing the mock exam last December, and after failing the real thing in the spring, so I had her put a bug on him so that we can keep track of him if he runs again."

Shinobu couldn't deny the older woman's logic. Like them she didn't want sempai to run off again and leave her behind. It just happened to be fairly convenient in tracking him as he went on his date as well.

"He took her to soba vendor?" Kitsune exclaimed as she caught sight of the two ronin.

"What do we do?" Shinobu asked.

"We keep an eye on them," the older woman replied. Glancing around, she spotted another restaurant. "Over there."

The other girls followed the sly-eyed woman's eyes to the golden arches that illuminated the street.

Shinobu shuddered. "Burgers?"

"Do you really want to stand around all night?" Kitsune countered.

The other girls exchanged a quick look, each coming to the same conclusion.

Relenting, Shinobu nodded, "Fine."

* * *

The life of a martial artist was wrought with peril. As such a true martial artist needed to be dedicated and be able to control oneself. Any vice could undo years of hard work by exposing a martial artist at the most crucial of moments.

"You're sure you don't want any more?" Naru asked as she eyed her date.

Pulling himself away from the counter, Ranma shook his head. "I've had enough," he admitted_. 'Man, I almost wish I still had that curse…'_

"You sure?" the auburn haired woman asked again.

The master martial artist nodded, steeling his resolve.

"Su would love that banana split," Naru said as she eyed her apricot sherbet. "But this is delicious."

Ranma nodded. The triple scope chocolate and vanilla banana split with dark chocolate, caramel, almonds, pecans, strawberries, and toffee had been impressive, but to the bottomless pit it was only the opening volley. Still, Ranma couldn't allow himself to pig out. Limiting himself to the single bowl of ice cream and an apple dumpling/turnover, he hoped that the light snack would keep his stomach from grumbling at the theater.

"You're right, I'll definitely have to come back here," the auburn haired ronin said with a smile. "I really want to try the chocolate croissants."

Ranma nodded in agreement. His personal taste pallet was across the board – Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, American – so long as it was edible.

* * *

In the time that she'd been at the Hinata Sou and returned to the dorm, Motoko couldn't recall a single time when the building had been so, well, quiet. Sure, there were times when Granny had been in charge when there wasn't much going on, but even then the other residents were around making some sort of fuss or commotion.

Sure, there had been times when she'd come into the Hinata Sou when no one else was there, but in those few instances the others had been with her, or at least some of the others had been, bringing the commotion with them. But crossing over the threshold of the Hinata Sou this time was completely different. Even if Ranma and Keitaro were training, or the four older residents were studying together the other residents could be found doing something… well, something.

Finding the Hinata Sou completely empty though was startling. Sure, sometimes the other residents were in the open air bath or in their rooms, but for it to be completely empty… it was eerie. Checking the baths, she noted that there was no one around before heading up the stairs.

"Kitsune? Keitaro? Ranma?" she called out, hoping that someone was home. "Shinobu?"

No voices answered her. Finding no one, she ventured up to the third floor.

"Mutsumi? Naru? Su?" she called out.

Still nothing.

'_It's Friday, maybe they went out somewhere.'_

Heading back downstairs, she contemplated her options. With everyone gone, she had the entire Hinata Sou to herself. But what to do?

"I should clean Ranma's room," she grumbled as she recalled her duties. "Then I'll prepare dinner for him and the others since it's obvious that no one made any dinner."

* * *

Kitsune couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Having chased after Keitaro and Mutsumi much of the night, the inquisitive woman had hoped that, well, something would have happened. But watching as the pair of ronin toured the village scouring it for photo booths and the occasional snack was, well, boring. Sure, she'd hoped that the two had hopped into a booth for some quick nookie or hanky-panky, but none of the pictures the pair had taken suggested anything of the sort.

"Abort!" Su ordered as she noticed the first drops of rain.

"What?" Kitsune exclaimed. Fortunately for them no one was around them to notice the voices that seemingly came out of nowhere.

"Rain," the young genius explained. "It'll short out the suit."

The older woman scowled, unhappy with the unfortunate turn of events that had hampered their observation of Keitaro's date with Mutsumi. "Fine," she finally said as the first drops of rain hit her. "We'll withdraw for now."

* * *

The sound of gently falling rain as it collided with the colorful leaves and the compacted dirt filled the air as Keitaro and Mutsumi rushed for cover. The nearly vacant park had been so inviting minutes ago after the couple had left the bakery, but the sudden and unexpected rain had definitely changed things.

"There's some cover over there," Keitaro insisted as he led Mutsumi towards a leaning tree. The feel of the other ronin's soft and gentle hand in his warmed him despite the cool autumn rain. _'This is my chance! With the rain keeping us close, I can kiss Mutsumi!'_

Now under the little cover that the tree provided he turned to his date. Despite being a bit wet, the brunette was a vision of beauty, the light sheen of water giving Mutsumi a beautiful aura/glow in the gentle light.

'_But what about Naru?_' another part of his mind demanded. _'I've already kissed her.'_

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, threatening to explode as he considered his feelings. _'But she's on a date with Ranma, and Mutsumi's told Ranma that she likes me. I… I could be happy with Mutsumi.'_

"Why don't we have a seat?" the buxom brunette suggested as she leaned forward, brushing aside some leaves on the bench.

'_I could be very happy with those,'_ Keitaro grinned as his eyes traveled down the vast chasm formed by Mutsumi's ample breasts inside the tight, low cut sweater she wore. _'They're bigger than Naru's.'_

Before he could say or do anything though, the buxom woman fell forward. Automatically responding, he took a step towards her, catching her and keeping her from hitting her head against the cold steel bench. "Mutsumi?" he asked, unsure what was going on but savoring the feel of her breasts pressed against his stomach. "Mutsumi!"

Despite her history of anemia and all her near death experiences, Keitaro panicked. The fact was that the sickly girl hadn't had many fainting/weak spells since coming to the Hinata Sou and starting her morning training with Ranma, Keitaro and Naru.

'_I've got to find a doctor!' _the responsible ronin thought as he shifted her weight and body so that she was now sitting on the bench. Turning his back to her, he pulled her onto his back, firmly planting his hands under her legs as he leaned forward to support her weight.

With her breasts pressed against his back, he could feel the warmth of her body slowly fading and the lack of a heart beat.

Thankful for the hard mornings of training with Ranma, Keitaro ran down the trail with his passenger.

Running hard, he failed to notice her heartbeat or the warming of her body as he exerted himself in an effort to find someone to help her. It wasn't until he spotted the entrance to the park that he finally realized that Mutsumi had recovered.

"Oh my," she exclaimed, her breath hot against his wind-blown cheek, "you're pretty fast."

"Mutsumi!" he cried out as he turned his head to look at her.

Distracted by her sudden recovery, and the sudden realization that her breasts were slapping his back as he ran, the ronin continued to pump his legs from moving as they were the cause for the repeated contact his back had with her firm and bountiful breasts.

"Um," the brunette muttered, "shouldn't you stop?"

With his head still turned to get a look at her, Keitaro failed to notice the lamp post before him. The sound of his skull hitting stone was the last thing he remembered.

* * *

"That was pretty good, better than I expected," Ranma muttered as he exited the theater.

Beside him Naru sighed, "That was so sad."

Ranma paused, allowing his 'date' to catch up to him.

"Kagero couldn't even touch anyone without poisoning them," the auburn haired beauty stated. "But the one person she could touch without killing was Jubei."

The pigtailed martial artist opened his mouth to say something, but decided against blurting anything out. "Yeah," he relented.

"And in the end Jubei avenges her and kills all those other ninja." Caught up in the excitement of the movie, Naru grabbed hold of Ranma's arm, pressing her ample breasts against him as she did so.

'_Not what I expected from her,'_ Ranma thought as he gulped. _'But they feel pretty nice…'_ "It's raining," he remarked as he noted the weather outside the theater. Picking up a spare umbrella, he opened it with one hand before lifting it over their heads.

The pair barely made it two blocks before the rain came down harder, explaining why they umbrella had been left behind before. "It's got a hole in it," Ranma said, stating the obvious.

"We're getting wet!" Naru exclaimed.

"Here," he replied, handing her the umbrella.

"Wha?"

In a flash the swift martial artist swept her off her feet. Rushing towards the closest building he scowled.

"Closed," he muttered.

"What are you doing?" Naru hissed into his ear.

"Finding somewhere we can wait out the storm," he explained.

Rushing past several more buildings, he finally found one that was open.

* * *

A powerful throbbing sensation enveloped his skull, telling him that he was still alive. Slowly, he opened his eyes even as he tried to recall why his head hurt so much.

"Oh," a gentle voice exclaimed, "you're awake."

Having been knocked around a lot before, Keitaro knew better than to force himself to sit up too quickly. Slowly, he raised his head, supporting himself with his elbow. His addled mind slowly processed the room around him. It was dark, and the sound of the water hitting glass told him that it was still raining outside.

"Wh-"

"You ran into the light post," Mutsumi's voice answered.

Instinctively he turned towards her voice, still trying to piece together everything that had happened. "You- you passed out," he said as he sat up.

The feel of the cool air rushing against his bare chest told him that he was shirtless. But it was the sight of Mutsumi draped in a warm and just barely concealing towel that had his full attention. Standing before the bathroom door the bright lights from the steamy room left her striking silhouette for the groggy ronin.

"It's a good thing we started working out with Ranma," the busty brunette said.

"Huh?"

"I had to carry you here," she explained. "You've been out for about half an hour."

Keitaro could only nod as he took in Mutsumi's full figure.

"I put our clothes in the drier," she said as she approached him. "I was just about to hop into the shower."

Again he nodded as his foggy mind tried to keep up with what she was saying.

"Want to join me?"

"Yeah," he replied automatically, not even sure what he was saying.

With the light behind her, he failed to notice the seductive smile on the busty woman's face as she dropped the towel.

"Okay," she said as she walked over to the giant heart shaped bed.

Still addled from hitting the light post, Keitaro simply watched as the busty woman approached him, naked as the day she was born.

'_This has got to be a dream,'_ he concluded_. 'I must still be dreaming from running into the lamp post.'_

Like a magnet attracting metal, Keitaro found his hand on Mutsumi's breast as she came within arm's reach of him.

"Oh my," Mutsumi gasped.

'_It's so warm, and soft,'_ he thought as he gulped, finally accepting that it wasn't a dream.

"You're so forceful," the busty brunette stated.

'_Be a man,'_ Keitaro thought, steeling his resolve as he pushed aside any and all thought of Naru. _'Naru hasn't told me how she felt and Mutsumi's right here, now.'_

Gulping, he reached out with his other hand, pulling Mutsumi even closer.

The feel of soft, hot lips against his own sent a rush of warmth through him that he'd never felt before.

* * *

"Of all the places you could bring me," Naru whined over the sound of the pouring rain, "you had to bring me here?"

Peering out at the clouds overhead, Ranma shrugged. "I thought that you wanted to get out of the rain," he replied. "If you want to go back out there we could go back to the Sou, but we're a good distance away from the station and even I can't get there without getting completely soaked."

The five block run from the theater through the sudden downpour had left both of them nearly soaked through. Only the fact that Ranma had carried Naru meant that the front of her outfit was wet while he was all wet.

"At least my wallet's dry," he grumbled as he picked out a room. "If you want we can get separate rooms."

"What?" she cried out. "Who knows what sort of creeps are around this place? If you're gonna bring me here the least you could do is make sure that I'm safe!"

Shrugging, Ranma selected the largest room available, running his credit card through to pay for it. "It's up on the top floor," he told her as he returned his card to his wallet. Grabbing the electronic room keys, he used one to enter the building. "You coming?"

The ronin eyed him, hesitating for a moment. _'He's always been a gentleman… if it was Keitaro I'd be worried that he might try to do something perverted or try to sneak a peak… And I did ask him out so he couldn't have planned this out…'_ "Fine," she finally said as she followed him into the building.

* * *

'_Wow,'_ Keitaro thought as he looked up at the mirrored ceiling. _'That was nothing like anything I'd expected. Nothing like the dojinshi that he'd drawn back in high school. Then again he wasn't a bokken wielding kendoka who was famous with the ladies. Wait a minute… Blue Thunder was about a kendoka from Nerima during Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts… That was the nickname for Tatewaki Kuno, who was one of Ranma's rivals…'_

"Hmmm…" Mutsumi purred, distracting Keitaro from his string of thoughts.

Seeing her naked body reflected off the ceiling as she lay beside him, Keitaro blushed.

"I think I'll need another shower," the busty brunette stated. "You promised to join me before… and the water's been running all this time."

* * *

"How could you get a room without a shower?"

Ranma shook his head as his companion/date ranted. "I figured you'd want the largest room so that you could, you know, have some privacy. Besides, it does have a shower."

The shower in question stood in the north-west corner of the room, one way glass (or at least what he hoped was a one way mirror) lined that corner of the room, allowing the occupants to look out at street and the building next to the hotel while a giant shower head dropped down from the ceiling. "But if you want some privacy, I'll go get a room for myself," he added as he turned to leave.

"No," Naru replied, grabbing his hand to keep him from leaving her alone. "Just promise me you won't look."

"Fine," he muttered as he turned to face her.

Standing in the bright light of the room, he noticed just how thin the material of her blouse really was. The pink cotton blouse was soaked through, at least in the front, clinging to her ample bosom and the lacy red bra beneath. Her pleated white skirt clung to her shapely thighs.

Quickly averting his eyes, Ranma eyed the washer and drier in the closet beside the door.

"We should probably get out of our wet clothes," Naru tentatively suggested as she also glanced at the appliances.

Ranma gulped, not sure he could trust himself to speak at the moment. Instead he nodded in agreement.

"I'm going to shower first," Naru proclaimed. "Turn around."

* * *

The skin-tight outfit clung to every curve of her body, hugging her like a second skin. Fortunately the metallic fabric was water-resistant, keeping her relatively dry as she and her dorm mates rushed up the stairs to the Hinata Sou.

"Where were you?" Motoko demanded as the kendoka spotted the foursome. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

"We were testing Su's latest invention," Sara proclaimed.

Shinobu and Kitsune promptly jumped the young blond, keeping her from saying anything else.

"We were trying to find the remains of Su's latest model of Mecha-Tama and Rankage," Kitsune quickly added. "But then it started raining so we had to get back here as soon as we could."

The kendoka eyed her skeptically. "Well, I made some stew," Motoko finally said, accepting the grain of truth in the sly eyed woman's reply. "You should change quickly otherwise the stew's going to get cold."

The foursome nodded.

Rushing to the stairs, Kitsune made sure that Motoko wasn't around to overhear them. Turning to Su, she eyed the young genius. "Where are they?"

Su simply shrugged. "Don't know. The rain shorted out the tracking device."

"They should be back pretty soon," Shinobu said hopefully.

"It was only raining lightly when we reached the train station," Kitsune stated. "If it's pouring as hard there as it is here they might decide to seek shelter somewhere else. There is a 24 hour bowling alley near by, not to mention a movie theater.

"Damn! Too bad we don't have Mecha-Tama or Rankage still."

Su nodded. "It'll take too long to retrofit Mecha-Tama Mark 6 with a camera. It'd be easier to just build Mark 8."

The other girls eyed her.

"Sara," Kitsune said with a sly smile, "you're going to assist Su once we're done eating."

* * *

'_Wow!'_ Keitaro thought as he slumped back into bed. He could feel his heart pounding. He could feel Mutsumi's heart pounding as she rolled on top of him, her firm, full breasts pressed against his chest with only a thin layer of sweat separating them. The feel of her legs entwined with his was, well, magnificent. No, just feeling her body so close to his was beyond amazing, it was bliss.

The second time had been, well, longer than the first, though much more satisfying as well. _'That was more like the dojinshi I've read,'_ he thought, a satisfied smile on his lips. Suddenly his smile vanished. _'Condoms – we forgot to use condoms!'_

* * *

Despite her bravado, Naru couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as she stepped into the giant shower. The thick glass appeared to be treated with some water resistant film, keeping the water from the shower as well as the steam from the hot water from clinging to the surface, giving her a clean view of the rest of the bathroom and the entire suite. Two sides of the shower were hopefully one-way mirrors, allowing her to look out at the street and buildings across the street as well as at the neighboring building.

With a towel firmly in place over her breast and beating heart, she looked out of the giant window, seeing only her own reflection on the mirrored window on the building across from her. Sighing in relief, she entered the shower. Leaving her towel aside, she stepped into the stream of high pressured hot water.

The shower itself was spacious with more than enough room for three or four people to use it at once. That thought in and of itself prompted her to scan the room for Ranma.

Seeing him with his back firmly to her, she sighed again. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her hands from her breasts, allowing the hot water to cascade down the length of her body unimpeded.

The way that the shower was laid out she could have turned to face any direction she wanted, but the view before her of the room was the most promising as she watched a shirtless Ranma flip through the channels of the large screen TV.

'_I have to keep an eye on him to make sure that he's not spying on me,'_ she thought to herself, reaffirming her position. _'But he does look good. I wonder if he thinks that about me?'_

She paused for a moment, not sure why that thought popped into her mind. '_I don't dress like a geek anymore when I'm with them… But Motoko is so pretty, and Mutsumi and Kitsune have bigger breasts than me… And he did ask Mutsumi out that one time. Does he see me that way?_

'_I know that Keitaro used to – he even kissed me. But he's out with Mutsumi now. I wonder what they're doing on their date?'_

"I'm going to get something to eat," Ranma announced as he backed towards the door. "Do you want something?"

"Sure," she replied reflexively. Letting out a slight sigh, she watched as he put on his wet shirt before leaving.

* * *

'_Wow!'_ Keitaro thought as he looked at the large variety of condoms in the vending machine. _'Ribbed, lubricated, lubricated and ribbed, spermicidal lubrication, non-lubricated, non-lubricated ribbed, latex, polyurethane, strawberry flavored, vanilla flavored, glow in the dark, chocolate flavored… how many different types of condoms are there?'_

Taking a step back from the machine, Keitaro shook his head. 'I just need the most basic type, but should I get one that's lubricated or not? What do 'ribs' do anyways? Spermicidal or non-spermicidal? What if she's allergic to the lubricant? Should I get separate lubricant?' Frustrated, he decided to just try something at random. Putting in 500 yen, he hit one of the buttons, not caring which condom he bought.

'_Just one?'_ he thought as he thought back to what had transpired in the room. '_Maybe I should get some more.'_

"Yo," a voice greeted.

'_I know that voice,'_ Keitaro thought as he pulled out several more coins. _'I KNOW THAT VOICE!'_

"Ranma?" he finally said as he turned around to face the pigtailed man. Gulping, Keitaro forced a smile.

"That's a mean bruise -what'd you do, get mugged and lost your clothes?" Ranma asked.

Even from several paces away the pigtailed martial artist had a keen eye. Between the two vending machines stood an ice machine, giving Keitaro a slight bit of modesty.

Keitaro blinked. _'I knew I forgot something. I hope he doesn't come over here.'_ "Wait, what are you doing here?" _'Is Naru here too?'_

"We got caught up in the storm," Ranma shrugged as he pulled out his wallet. "I figured that neither of us wanted to ride the train sopping wet so we got a room here. You guys probably did the same."

"Yeah," Keitaro replied as he leaned against the machine.

"Make sure that you put something more on," Ranma added as he opened his vending machine. "Silk boxers are so cliché."

Keitaro nodded, noting the damp clothes that clung to the muscular martial artist. "You should get out of your wet clothes," he suggested in the calmest voice possible. "Wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Ranma smirked as he added more money to the other vending machined. "One of the benefits of being a real immortal," he replied. "I haven't gotten sick since I was in Nerima.

"Hey, anything good in that machine?"

"No," Keitaro shook his head vigorously. "Just candy." _'Don't come over here for any ice.'_ "If you're looking for something more filling it's all in that machine."

The pigtailed martial artist nodded, opening the vending machine up to grab his second item. "You'd better get what you want quickly," Ranma suggested. "If Naru sees you here she's probably going to jump to the wrong conclusion."

'_Or the right one,'_ Keitaro thought as he nodded at the other man. _'Kami, what are the other girls going to make of this? What are they going to think if Mutsumi and I are a couple?'_

"I think the weather report said that it'd keep raining all night," Ranma said as he turned to head back towards his room. "The train stations are probably going to be closed down for the night once the rain stops. There's a nice 24 hour bowling alley a few blocks north of here and a couple of karaoke bars around here as well. Naru and I will probably hit one of the karaoke bars once it stops raining."

"We'll probably hit the bowling ally then," Keitaro replied.

"Later," Ranma waved.

"Yeah," Keitaro replied, "later."

* * *

Returning to his room, Ranma thought little of his chance encounter with Keitaro. Sure, the ronin was out on a date with Mutsumi, but that was their business.

Hearing the shower still running, he knew that Naru was still enjoying the spacious shower. Setting down the packaged food, he quickly ripped the plastic off and threw them into the microwave. With the food cooking, he quickly stripped out of the wet clothes before draping a modest sized towel around his waist.

* * *

Despite the powerful showerhead, Naru had heard Ranma's return. Instinctively she covered herself before turning towards the door. That was the only place that she couldn't see from the exposed shower – unless you counted behind the hot tub and under the bed. Still, she wanted to ensure her own privacy.

Seeing him throw something in the microwave she relaxed, uncovering her breasts as she enjoyed the feel of the hot water cascading and massaging her body. She watched as he swiftly removed his wet clothes and threw them in a basket by the washer.

'_He's so sweet,'_ she smiled as she realized that he didn't want to peek at her unmentionables in the washer.

Suddenly her eyes widened. The normally nearsighted woman blinked as she realized just what she'd seen as Ranma pulled down his pants and boxers, giving her the briefest of glimpses at his manhood. Having accidentally grabbed Keitaro once and walked in on him changing as well as glimpsing Seta naked once, she thought she had a good idea of that part of the male anatomy. Clearly Ranma was exceptional in more ways than one.

* * *

Despite his best efforts, Keitaro's heart was racing. The chance encounter with Ranma in the hallway was, well, unexpected. But Ranma was right. What if it had been Naru instead who had spotted him?

'_What's wrong? Mutsumi and I are both consenting adults,'_ he rationalized. _'She's still not a legal adult, even if she is living on her own. Ranma might be, but he's immortal._

'_Wait… he's immortal… doesn't get sick or anything, so he doesn't have to worry about condoms. _

'_But his clothes were wet…_

'_He's been engaged before too… Ryoga did say that there were times when one of his fiancées slipped into his bed at night though…'_

His mind raced just as quickly as his heart as various images and possibilities filled his mind.

"Keitaro?" Mutsumi's sweet and soft voice called out to him. "Where'd you go?"

"I just had to get something," he replied, cradling his head.

"Does your head still hurt?" the compassionate woman asked as she walked over to him. Still naked, she cradled his head to her ample breasts. "Does that feel better?"

"Yeah," he sighed, his troubles momentarily forgotten. _'I'll deal with that later.'_

* * *

He didn't know why, but he felt a bit self-conscious. No, he knew why he was self-conscious, he just didn't want to admit it. The entire time he was in the room he could feel Naru's eyes on him. It was only because he'd been distracted about keeping the fact that he'd seen Keitaro a secret from Naru that had resulted in the temporary lapse of modesty as he pulled off his boxers. Though he had turned away from Naru, he'd caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye.

Fearful of incurring her wraith, he swallowed his pride and covered himself quickly before wandering back towards the giant water bed and TV. Trying hard to not turn back and look at the alluring beauty that stood completely naked in the very visible shower, Ranma found the remote for the TV. Looking at the wall, he blinked.

Turning it on quickly he quickly regretted his decision as the loud groaning and moaning filled the room. Instinctively he turned down the volume before turning the channel to the local news.

'_Man, why do all the channels have to be porn?'_ he sighed as he looked at the giant television set inside the wall of the room. _'Only the local guide channel and weather channel don't have any porn on.'_

The smell of warm food drifted over to him, attracting his attention. Closing his eyes he inhaled. A slight rumbling from his voracious stomach prompted him to turn towards the source of the smell. But it wasn't the smell of food that caught his attention as he opened his eyes. The sight of Naru's completely naked and wet body standing in the shower greeted his eyes, prompting another part of his body to respond.

"Pervert!" the auburn haired beauty shouted as she rushed towards her towel. In a flash she was rushing out of the bathroom, a trail of water marking her path as she charged him.

"Sorry!" Ranma shouted as he averted his eyes. "I didn't mean to look!"

"Pervert!" Naru shouted as she wound up for a powerful uppercut. With her feet wet and her momentum propelling her forward, Naru threw her trademarked Naru Punch only to slip on the slippery tile. Her momentum uncontrolled, the auburn haired angel of fury dropped her towel as she slid towards the bed.

A snap decision and Ranma's quick feet kept the upset girl from hitting the floor as Ranma rushed in and caught her. Sliding on the floor and losing his own towel in the process, he caught Naru heedless of the carpet and floor burn that he received.

"Pervert!" Naru grumbled as she balled her fist and punched Ranma's bare chest.

He was expecting something, well, weak given her poor positioning, but the punch that connected with his chest was, well, not even a love tap. Startled, he simply lay beneath her as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.

"You lied," she muttered, her breath hot against his bare skin. "You looked at me."

"Sorry," he repeated even as he tried to not focus on the fact that her naked body was laying on top of his. "I didn't mean to. But I've gotta admit, you've got a pretty nice body. And I know a thing or two about nice bodies."

The two lay there for a moment, neither sure what to do or say.

"You really think so?" Naru finally asked, breaking the pregnant silence.

"Yeah," Ranma replied.

"You still looked at me," Naru grumbled.

The pigtailed martial artist gulped, "If you want to even things out than you can look at me."

"I'm not a pervert like you," she muttered as she cuddled against him. "But you can wash my back. I'll wash yours too."

* * *

A/N

Sorry, no lemon in this fic. Innuendo yes, lemon no.

Dreamingfox


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes –

Yeah, nothing to say other than that South Park is funny as hell. I need to start DVRing it.

* * *

The sound of gentle, contented snoring filled the tiny suite as Keitaro watched Mutsumi sleep. Despite exhausting himself repeatedly over the past couple of hours, he knew that he couldn't just go to sleep due to the concussion that he'd suffered earlier that night. Unsure how serious the injury was, he decided to take a cautious approach and stay awake for the next 20 some hours.

With little else to do as his date slept, and having already snuck out to pick up some food from the 24 hour fast McDonalds, Keitaro resorted to watching TV.

'Porn, porn,' he thought as he flipped through the channels. _'Anime porn, bondage, fetish, fetish, anime… what's this 'Replay'?'_

Suddenly his eyes bulged, threatening to dislodge themselves.

Unable to turn away from the screen, Keitaro watched as he and Mutsumi appeared on the screen as they engaged in their consensual adult activities. The giant screen was split into four smaller screens, the top right showed an overhead view of the bed while the top left showed a view from the headboard. The bottom left showed an overhead view of the shower while the lower right displayed the bed from the wall/TV. Rewinding the footage, he gulped as he watched his deflowering.

'_Wow!'_ Keitaro thought as he eyed each of the three screens displaying the action in the bed. _'I'm not sure if this is good or bad.'_

Fascinated by the unique view, Keitaro didn't bother to look for the cameras as they continued to record him.

* * *

Naru was conflicted. Though Ranma had agreed to wash her back and allowed her to wash his; nothing else had happened between them, leaving her unsure how to interpret the entire episode.

Sighing in frustration, the auburn haired beauty wondered just how long it would take Ranma to return. Having departed to get something more filling than the microwaveable food, the pigtailed man promised to return quickly. The list of nearby restaurants and their menus had been useful, allowing them to call in their order for pick up (as Ranma did not want to pay the extra service charge for delivery).

Bored and not wanting to dwell on the implications of all had happened, Naru picked up the TV remote. Having been warned by Ranma that most of the channels were showing porno, she quickly flipped through the first fifteen channels before something caught her eye.

Her mouth dropped as Keitaro's naked body appeared on the screen, his face firmly buried in Mutsumi's ample bosom.

"OOHH!" the busty brunette moaned.

Naru dropped the remote as the shock of seeing them doing that hit her.

"Yes, YES!"

Naru hastily reached for the remote. Aiming it at the television, she changed the channel.

Having spent some of the mornings working out with Ranma and Keitaro, Naru had a good idea of what Keitaro sounded like when he was panting for breath or grunting as he exerted himself physically, but in this context, it was, well, wrong.

Glancing up at the TV she realized that the view was different from before. No longer was she looking at them in bed as though she were sitting in a sofa beside the bed, no, this time it appeared as though she were standing at head of the bed. Her current view allowed her to actually see IT entering THAT as Keitaro pulled himself away from Mutsumi, each thrust causing her voluptuous breasts to shudder and jiggle.

Turning the channel again Naru was rewarded with a different view, this time from directly above the bed as the two lovers reached their respective climaxes.

She didn't know why, but Naru found herself kneeling on the ground, unable to turn away as Mutsumi let out a satisfied moan and Keitaro grunted contently.

Aroused, Naru found her hands massaging her own womanhood.

So wrapped up in the scene was she that she failed to hear the door open as Ranma returned.

* * *

The delicious smell of finely cooked tempura, pork cutlet and freshly steamed rice and vegetables tempted the immortal martial artist as he rushed up the stairs. Though he knew that he could have easily wolfed down the late night meal, Ranma also knew that it would be impolite of him to do so considering that he was still on a date with Naru.

With the entrance to the stairs placed in the back of the building rather than the middle of the building like the elevators, Ranma knew he'd pass by the vending machines, allowing him the opportunity to pick up some ice from the ice machine to cool their drinks.

Nimbly balancing the large order of deep fried food, rice, vegetables and drinks in one hand, he pulled out the bucket of ice as he kicked open the lid to the ice machined. Smiling contently, he filled the bucket to the brim.

Suddenly he froze, realizing just what the vending machine on the far side of the ice machine actually sold. Ranma blinked as his mind replayed his chance encounter with a boxer clad Keitaro.

Shaking his head, Ranma resolved to not tell Naru anything about running into Keitaro as it wasn't his secret to share. Taking a deep breath, he steeled his resolve before turning towards the room he currently shared with Naru.

Opening the door, he heard a gentle moan and heavy panting. 'Why is it that girls always proclaim that they aren't perverts,' he asked himself as he closed the door behind him. Shaking his head set the bucket of iced down. Pulling out the ironing board he deftly laid out the food, hoping that he'd given Naru enough time to change the channel.

Taking a deep breath he smiled before turning the corner.

Seeing Naru kneeling down before the television, one hand hiking up her skirt and the other down her panties definitely surprised him.

Speechless, he stood there taking in the scene.

'_Good thing I put the food down,'_ his fractured mind thought as it realized that he probably would have dropped everything.

'_It's a sign,'_ another part of his mind stated even as he pitched a tent.

"Ranma?"

He gulped. Gaining some measure of control over his body he turned away, only to have his eyes lock on the image of a sweat soaked Keitaro extracting himself from a very satisfied and naked Mutsumi.

Again he gulped, unable to do anything.

Only the feel of soft, warm hands pressed against his growing wood brought his mind (or part of his mind) back to reality.

"Ranma," Naru's pleading voice called out to him.

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her to her feet.

Though he could feel her hot and willing body pressed against his own, he fought the urge to rip of her clothes. "No," he found himself saying.

The auburn haired beauty blinked, not sure that she had heard him correctly.

"No," he repeated as he pushed her away. Holding her at arms' length, his piercing blue eye locked with her gentle brown eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to articulate what he was thinking and feeling. "I guess he couldn't wait for you."

"But you like her too," Naru said as she turned away from his striking blue eyes.

Ranma shook his head. "I like you."

He could feel her tremble beneath his hands.

"But…"

"I asked her out because I wanted to show Keitaro what needed to be done," the immortal explained. "I was trying to help him be alone with you. I don't deny that part of me was attracted to Mutsumi."

"Because she's prettier and got bigger boobs," Naru pouted.

The sudden urge to laugh nearly claimed him as he continued to hold her away from him. "So? That's not what attracted me to her – it's her gentle and caring demeanor. It reminds me of someone that I cared about.

"I've gone so long without being around anyone, and I'm sure you've noticed that I'm kinda immature at times too. I do care about Mutsumi, but I don't love her."

Naru gulped. Turning her back to face him, a glimmer of hope remained in her eyes.

"I like you too," he said finally. "But I don't know if I love you. I am attracted to you. Who wouldn't be?"

Tears welled up in the auburn haired beauty's eyes. "Thank you."

Gently, he pulled her back to him, trying hard to control his still growing hard on.

"I like you too Ranma," Naru whispered as she rested her head against his shoulder.

An unexpected warmth filled his chest as he held her close.

Not sure what else to say, he struggled to find something to say. "The food's getting cold."

* * *

The sound of the rain drops hitting the window slowly died down, announcing to Keitaro that the storm was finally over.

Despite his exhaustion, Keitaro knew that he couldn't and shouldn't fall asleep. He wasn't sure why really, only that medical experts had suggested that anyone with a serious concussion not fall asleep for the first 24 hours after their accident.

A quick glance at the clock told him that he still had some 20 hours to go.

"So," he said softly, unsure if Mutsumi was still awake.

"Yeah?" she replied sleepily.

"Why have you been trying so hard to get into Todai?"

"Oh," she yawned, her warm breath caressing his bare chest. "I made a promise 15 years ago."

"A promise, huh," he muttered. _'Why does that sound so familiar? Wait – I made a promise like that too! Could she be my promise girl?_' "Mutsumi?"

The sound of gentle snoring answered him.

"Mutsumi?" he whispered.

Seeing her sleeping peacefully, he really couldn't fault her for falling asleep. They had been having sex regularly over the past four hours.

"I guess I can ask later," he muttered to himself. "Maybe I should get some coffee and watch some more TV."

* * *

The sound of heavy breathing filled the room but it was the sound of her own heart breathing loudly in her breast that filled her ears as blood pulsed throughout her body. Drenched in sweat and her skin flush from exertion, Naru labored to breath.

"We should stop," Ranma stated, his breath steady and even despite the fact that he was the one pushing her beyond all of her physical boundaries.

"No," Naru protested, wiping her auburn locks from her brow.

As if to prove his point, Ranma pushed her down into the bed. The taste of her salty skin penetrated his lips as he kissed her forehead. "Take a break," he ordered as he pulled away from her.

Sighing, Naru relented. Watching as Ranma pulled on his shirt, she smiled. _'A girl could get used to that view.'_

"If you're going to spar with me you're really going to have to get a better outfit," the pigtailed martial artist suggested. "No more skirts and sweaters."

"But I look good in a skirt," she teased as she reached out and took his hand.

"True, but it's not practical when sparring," Ranma replied, sticking his tongue out playfully at her.

"Take me shopping tomorrow," she offered.

Ranma paused, then shook his head. "I'm not falling for that," he smirked. "Besides, you look good in lace."

Naru lay back in the bed, glancing up at her reflection in the mirror overhead. Her sweat drenched bra and panties she smiled. Never before had she felt so comfortable wearing so little in front of a male before. The handful, no, it was much more than a handful, more than even a couple dozen times really, that Keitaro had walked in on her in various stages of undress. Each time she'd pummeled him as a result but not just because he'd walked in on her but because she was afraid. There was never a chance that Keitaro would take advantage of her. No, her fear was that he'd seen some imperfection in her.

Before Keitaro came to the Hinata Sou, Naru was free to walk around the dorm in her sweat pants and baggy sweat shirt, but once he'd arrived she'd been forced to constantly wear her skirts and sweaters just to compete with the other girls. She knew that she wasn't as busty as either Mutsumi or Kitsune, or as slender and beautiful as Motoko, or as good a cook or as proper as Shinobu, thus she'd had to rely on the fact that she spent the most time with Keitaro in hopes of wearing him down and getting him to acknowledge her.

But when he finally did she'd stalled, unsure of what she really wanted or if she really did deserve his attention.

Yes, kissing him had been nice, but it hadn't been what she'd expected. Though it sent a warm sensation through her, it didn't excite her or make her light-headed. Perhaps she'd expected too much, but being with Ranma had been wonderful.

Unlike her crush with Seta, Naru didn't just feel abashed and timid around Ranma. Being around Ranma, she still had moments of giddiness, just as she had with Seta, but she wasn't afraid. Yes, she might say the wrong thing, and Ranma might as well, but each of them accepted it.

She felt confident, as though she were reflecting his confidence back out at the world. With Ranma she felt like she could take on the world. Yes, she knew that she wasn't in his league as a martial artist, but she didn't need to because he wasn't pressing her to be a world class martial artist. She could be true to herself, something she hadn't been able to do since Keitaro had come to the Hinata Sou.

Being with and around Ranma was liberating.

"I need another shower," she stated.

"I won't look," Ranma said as he turned on the TV.

"You can join me," she offered.

The pigtailed man dropped the remote. Picking it up, he bought himself sometime before he finally looked at her.

"You've already seen me naked," she pointed out. "Nothing will happen unless you want something to happen."

The look on his face told her that he was seriously considering the offer.

"Don't you think you can control yourself around me?" she taunted.

Ranma perked at the challenge. "Fine."

* * *

The bright morning light warmed his back as he ascended the stairs leading up to the Hinata Sou. Despite the late night out with Naru, Ranma couldn't let the other women of the Hinata Sou think that something had happened between him and Naru.

Stretching, he took a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

"Morning," Motoko greeted.

"Morning," he returned.

"Late night?"

He nodded. "The rain kept us from coming in sooner."

The kendoka nodded, sensing the shred of truth in his reply.

The swift slash never came close to connecting nor did the series of thrusts that followed the initial attack.

"Naru's thinking of seriously joining our sparring sessions," he said as he leapt over an attack.

Several rushing slashes forced him to stay on the defensive once he landed.

"She wouldn't last a minute."

"She's got potential," Ranma replied as he slipped under a high slash intended to keep him from going airborne. A swift sweep knocked the kendoka off her feet on onto her behind.

"Keitaro's probably not going to join us today," he stated as he backed away, giving Motoko room to stand up. "He's got a concussion."

"Naru?"

Ranma smirked as the kendoka set her stance then charged.

"Not sure," he replied as he nimbly avoided another slashing attack. "But it wasn't Naru. Looked like he ran into a wall while carrying Mutsumi."

Motoko nodded as she stabbed at him. "Fainting spell?"

Catching the blade between the fore and middle fingers of his left hand he countered with a palm strike to her stomach. "Probably."

The kendoka rolled to with the blow at the cost of losing her weapon. By the time she regained her feet though Ranma had the blade pressed to her throat.

"You can barely last a minute on your own," he stated. "And I'm not even going all out."

The proud kendoka bowed her head, accepting defeat.

"There's no way you can defeat me as you are."

The slender kendoka clenched her teeth, setting her jaw as she accepted his assessment. Standing up, she accepted her bokken.

"Morning," the voice of the dorm manager called out.

The two martial artists turned to eye Keitaro as he appeared at the top of the stairs. On his back was the busty ronin.

"Morning," she greeted politely.

"Morning," Ranma and Motoko replied.

The pigtailed martial artist eyed the two lovers, not willing to mention anything about the previous night other than what he'd already spoke of. "Concussion?"

Keitaro nodded.

"How long do you have to stay up?" Motoko asked.

"Another 16 hours at least," Keitaro answered. "At least I'll be up and about for tonight's Potato Cooking Party."

"What?" the master martial artist exclaimed.

"It's just an excuse for Kitsune and Haruka to drink," Motoko stated. "We didn't do it last year because Haruka was busy and Kitsune was broke."

"But it's a good way for all the residents to spend time together," Keitaro countered. "We've had more residents move recently and with everything going on we haven't been able to have everyone sit down together and get to know each other."

As per the norm, Ranma simply went with the flow of things, not bothering to object.

* * *

As everyone in the Hinata Sou knew there was nothing more dangerous than a bored Su. Sure, she'd been busy working on designing a new Mecha-Tama as well as a new Rankage, but the more she worked on those mecha the more frustrated she became. Everything that she'd made thus far failed to defeat the two meddlesome (and hopefully tasty) animals.

And as any true genius knew, repeated failure meant that you needed to do something different.

Thus the overly intelligent young girl had decided to take a break from constructing the newest models of Mecha-Tama and Rankage (leaving the task to her AI as she'd already completed the designs for the two mecha) in favor of investigating the mysterious Ranma Saotome.

It wasn't hard for her to sneak into Ranma's room, not with Kage, Tama, and Ranma all out for their morning training.

* * *

"We should have picked up more potatoes," Shinobu grumbled as she eyed the growing list of things they needed for the Potato Cooking Festival. "We should have gotten these things last night."

"Hmm, that's usually the manager's job," Kitsune pointed out.

The younger girl scowled as she couldn't refute the older woman's statement. It was Keitaro's duty, especially since he had agreed to restart the festival, though in truth it was done only because he'd felt like he'd neglected the other residents since Ranma's arrival. With all the hours that he spent studying, working out and sparring, as well as the additional repairs to the rest of the Hinata Sou so that all the rooms were usable, Keitaro's time really had been at a premium lately.

It also didn't help that outside of training, studying, and repairing the Sou, Keitaro was spending more and more time with the Sou's newest male resident, further limiting the amount of time he spent with the girls.

"He should have delegated those duties to us," Shinobu grumbled as she eyed the list of groceries they needed for the festival. _'I'd talk to him but he hasn't gotten back yet.'_

"Morning."

"Speak of the devil," Kitsune smirked as she looked up at the dorm manager.

"Morning Sempai," Shinobu returned as she stood up and bowed at her crush.

No longer was Keitaro timid and hesitant around the female tenants, something that had slowly changed in the short time that Ranma had been sparring and training with Keitaro. Gone was the once timid man she knew and crushed on.

The more confident and less clumsy ronin though had garnered, no, demanded more attention.

Looking at the man that stood before her, Shinobu knew that if she really wanted to capture his attention, she too would need to become more confident and stand out more in her own way. It would be years before she could really compete physically with the older women in the Hinata Sou and though she might never measure up to them (especially to Mutsumi and Kitsune) she could out-cook them.

"Sempai," she said suddenly, startling even herself. "If you'll give me the money I can go pick up the ingredients for tonight."

Keitaro blinked. "Sure," he replied with a soft smile. "I was just about to ask you if you could go with Ranma to pick things up."

Part of her had hoped that she could spend some time alone with Keitaro. Still, being with Ranma could work out to her advantage. Though he was primarily a martial artist, the pigtailed man was a surprisingly good cook. Perhaps if she were to study his martial arts cooking she could further her own growing skills in the kitchen.

"I already gave Ranma the money," Keitaro added. "He'll stop by your room once he's done with his bath."

Shinobu nodded, accepting the task. "Please tell Saotome-san that I will be in the lounge and waiting for him."

* * *

There was a time when Kitsune hated waking up early. As a freelance writer she'd developed the unfortunate habit of staying up late - either drinking or working hard to meet a deadline. A self-described night owl, she rarely woke up early.

It wasn't until the advent of Ranma's arrival though that the sly-eyed woman had begun to wake up early. The first few days had been because of the noise level of the "sparring" between Ranma and the others. Though she resented having her sleep disrupted by the commotion, she couldn't help but enjoy the view of a sweaty Keitaro and Ranma as the two muscular men sparred.

The two men often invaded her dreams, their bodies drenched with sweat as a result of physically exerting themselves with her, sometimes one at a time, sometimes both at once, and sometimes taking turns as they used her to gage their manliness.

Inhaling deeply, she caught a hint of something that she probably shouldn't have. Turning to glance at Keitaro as he talked with Shinobu, the sly eyed woman opened her eyes just a crack.

No longer was he Keitaro, the hapless and indecisive klutz. This Keitaro stood tall and firm, confident and sure of himself. This was more than just the result of his training with the overly confident and boastful Ranma Saotome though. This Keitaro was a man, a real man who had conquered a woman.

'_What is Naru going to think?'_ Kitsune though as she made the connection. _'She's going to go ballistic. Was it just a hook up or is it serious? I need to check it out.'_

"How was your date?" she asked. Though Keitaro might have noticed Shinobu stiffening, the ronin didn't react to the younger girl's obvious reaction.

"Fun, but chaotic," he smirked. "Between Mutsumi fainting and me running into a lamp-post I'm surprised we even managed to make it home. The doctor suggested I not sleep for the next 16 hours or so, so I'm going to relax a bit."

'_Just enough truth to keep Shinobu in the dark,'_ Kitsune thought as she analyzed his answer. "Where's Mutsumi?"

"She said something about going shopping with Naru," Keitaro replied as he moved towards the hallway. "I'll see you two later."

* * *

The gentle light of the new day filled her room, giving her plenty of light to dress with. The sunlight warmed her skin, but it was her memories of the early morning that sent a wave of warmth through her. A deep breath failed to calm her giddiness and if her reflection was anything to go by she was positively glowing.

'_And we didn't even do everything,'_ Naru thought as her nimble fingers clasped the hooks of her bra. Pulling her bra up so that they hugged her breasts, she licked her lips, recalling how Ranma's skillful hands on her bare flesh.

Despite her best efforts she blushed at the recollection. Shaking her head, she stored those treasured memories in the back of her mind as she prepared for the day.

A gentle rapping at her door forced her to push her emotions aside in favor of the calmer and cooler side that she'd always projected to the other girls.

"Narusegawa?" the always formal kendoka called out.

"Are you alone?" the auburn haired beauty asked.

"Yes."

"Come in than."

"If you're not"

"No, come on in," Naru insisted. "I'm glad you came."

The sound of wood sliding on wood told her that the younger girl had relented, agreeing to come into Naru's room despite the fact that she wasn't properly dressed.

"Ranma suggested that you might need my help today," Motoko stated, her voice slightly cold as she noted the other girl's undressed state. "Unfortunately I've promised Saotome-san that I'd help out at the restaurant."

The older girl paused. Turning around, she eyed the younger girl. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the kendoka snapped. "I just have to work today."

"Don't tell me that nothing's wrong. Clearly something's bothering you. You can tell me."

The raven haired beauty stood her ground, "Nothing's wrong."

For a moment Naru contemplated leaving the matter alone. _'What would Ranma do? He'd probably just egg her on and pester her until she broke. But I can't do that to her.'_ "Motoko, I know we're not the closest of friends, but you can talk to me, right?"

After having lived in the Hinata Sou with the kendoka over the past couple of years, the auburn haired woman knew that the other girl was still balking at the idea of opening up to her.

"Is it because I went on a date with Ranma?" Naru ventured to ask. Seeing Motoko stiffen at the mention she knew that she'd hit the mark. "You like him, don't you?"

"No," Motoko exclaimed. "It's not like that. I'm indebted to him. I could never be his equal as I am now."

"But you want to be," Naru interjected.

The proud kendoka averted her eyes, looking down at the ground. "I must prove myself as his equal if I am to remain a Shinmeiryu swords mistress."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Naru took a deep breath then shook her head. "I know that I am not a martial artist like you, Keitaro, and Ranma, but just because I'm not one doesn't mean that I wouldn't understand things. I'm a pretty reasonable and rational person."

"That's exactly why you wouldn't understand the politics involved," Motoko countered. "It's not rational or reasonable."

Naru took a step back, contemplating what the kendoka had said. It was true that Ranma and Motoko weren't the most rational people, though both were fairly reasonable. Keitaro did have his moments of irrationality as well.

"Do you like Ranma?" Motoko asked.

Naru nodded, a warm, giddiness welling up inside of her at the admission.

"There are things about him you need to know," the kendoka stated.

Seeing the look on Motoko's face, it was clear to Naru that she'd have to press Ranma if she wanted to find out about his supposed secrets. Still, that statement robbed her of the feeling she'd had when she'd admitted to liking the pigtailed martial artist.

* * *

The feel of hot water soothed his aching body as he lowered himself into the spring for a rare moment of relaxation. Sighing in relief, Keitaro settled into the water.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but think of the previous night. Though Mutsumi had fainted on the way home that morning, she had pressed him to keep their relationship a secret as the voluptuous ronin sought to maintain the status quo at the Hinata Sou.

Keitaro couldn't help but agree. Not only were the rules of the Hinata Sou set up to discourage the girls from bringing guys home, but the fact that several of the girls had, as Ranma put it, an interest in him did add the additional complication. Sure, he'd gone out with the girls before, but it was usually as a group.

But with Mutsumi setting precedent in asking him out would the other girls force the issue?

More importantly, every time he tried to bring up the notion of her promise or that he'd made the same promise to her, the voluptuous woman always fainted. _'I really wanted to tell her too.'_

Lost in his thoughts, and still dealing with his concussion, Keitaro missed the sound of the door opening.

"What's the saying? 'A penny for your thoughts'?" a sultry voice purred in his ear.

Startled, Keitaro sprang to his feet even as he forced himself to turn around. The maneuver would have worked perfectly had he not been submerged in hot water up to his neck, but the added resistance of the water threw him off. Whirling around, he felt his arm brush against Kitsune as he failed to put some distance between them, knocking the short haired woman into the onsen.

"Kitsune?"

The busty woman emerged from the water, exposing her bare breasts as she did so. "Sorry to startle you."

Keitaro found himself forcing himself to look at the sly eyed woman in the face and away from her perky breasts. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I was curious about your date," Kitsune replied. "From the looks of things, you've finally become a man."

The ronin blinked. 'How did she find out?'

"You're not denying it," the vixen smirked. "The old you would have been backing away in a panic, and pleading your innocence, but here you are, completely unabashed by my current state of undress and the accusations I make against you."

Keitaro slowly processed what the vixen was implying.

"You and the Turtle Lady haven't said anything because you know that it'll screw things up here," Kitsune added. "Before Ranma came all of the girls had their eye on you for some reason or another. But despite that we've all secretly been rooting for Naru and you to hook up. We've refrained from doing anything too drastic, but now those rules don't apply."

"What are you getting at?" Keitaro demanded.

"I want you," Kitsune stated.

"I'm with Mutsumi."

"Then come out and tell everyone. I know you won't though – you care too much about everyone to do it. You'd break Naru and maybe Motoko's hearts and you're afraid of turning the other girls against Mutsumi. Shinobu would be devastated of course so we don't know how bad things would be with her."

Keitaro gulped. Everything that she'd said was true. He'd balked at announcing to the others that he was technically with Mutsumi because she was new and possibly seen as an outsider. Naru might support him being with his Promise Girl, but the others wouldn't. He couldn't chose between Mutsumi and the others, could he? If it was one of them against her maybe, but all of them…

"Until you announce that you're with Mutsumi I want you," Kitsune grinned. "I put off making a move on you out of respect for Naru, but with her out of the picture I want some action. I'll even help you by making sure that Naru falls for Ranma so she won't be hurt by your announcement."

Like a tiger on the prowl, Kitsune closed in on him. Reaching out, she caressed his cheek.

"But the others," he muttered.

"They're gone," the vixen smirked. "Ranma's with Shinobu, Mutsumi and Naru are shopping, and Motoko's at work. I've got you all alone for the next hour or so. I'm sure that I can get you going a few times before they get back."

Again Keitaro gulped. Standing up in the waist deep water, it was clear to him and to Kitsune that he was aroused despite his best efforts to be faithful to his new girlfriend. The sight of the busty vixen before him would turn on any straight male regardless of their relationship status.

"You know you've thought about me before," she whispered into his ear as she pulled him close. "I've heard you moaning my name in the morning when you were dealing with your morning wood. I wanted to use that as blackmail material before, but like I said, I didn't want to ruin anything between you and Naru."

It was true. He'd often dreamt about the various girls at the Sou, usually after catching a peek at them accidentally. But he was with Mutsumi… 'This is the kind of thing that happens to the heroes in the Hentai manga,' Keitaro rationalized. 'They get a new girlfriend but have to keep their relationship secret and then someone finds out about it and either blackmails the hero or his girlfriend. Soon they risk their relationship because they have all these other secrets but in the end every thing is exposed and they end up together.'

Not wanting to appear indecisive or weak, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her too him. A rough kiss answered the vixen, silencing her for a moment. Breaking the kiss, he eyed the startled woman. "No on else will know about this or about me and Mutsumi," he said, setting the ground rules for their discreet encounters. "And we only do this when no one else is around."

Kitsune grinned victoriously. "Agreed."

* * *

A gentle breeze reminded the auburn haired beauty of the previous night's rain as she and her companion made their way through the various small shops. The same shops had been closed the previous night, forcing the two women and their respective dates to seek shelter in the same Love Hotel, though Naru wasn't sure that Mutsumi knew that fact.

As the pair eyed various articles of clothing, Naru couldn't help but think about her talk with Motoko as she picked up a sports bra and shorts. Taking several articles of clothing, she headed back towards the changing rooms.

Distracted as she was, she failed to notice that Mutsumi had followed her into the roomy stall.

"Is something bothering you Naru?" the voluptuous brunette asked.

"Huh? Why would you think something's bothering me?"

"It's been over an hour since we left the Hinata Sou and you haven't even asked me about my date or spoken of your date with Ranma," the playful brunette stated. "Did something happen?"

Her mind no longer on the clothes in her arms, she turned to her friend and confidant. Though they had only known each other for a few weeks (not including their trip after the exam results) Naru couldn't dismiss the fact that she felt very comfortable around the older girl.

"The truth is," she said as she started to unbutton her blouse, "I was jealous."

"Was?"

Naru nodded. "That's why I asked Ranma out immediately afterwards."

"You like Kei-kun?"

Feelings long denied surfaced, resulting in the auburn haired woman tearing up.

The compassionate woman embraced her dear friend. "I'm sorry," Mutsumi whispered. "I think I knew, but I just couldn't"

"It's not that," Naru interjected. "Well, it kinda is, but isn't. Not really.

"You see, Keitaro kissed me a month or so ago, but I never found the courage to tell him how I felt. And now he's with you. I should have told him when I had the chance. Still, I don't regret that he's with you."

"Thank you," the older woman said as she squeezed the younger woman. "I really do love him."

"I know I asked Ranma out because I was jealous," Naru continued, wiping away the beginnings of the tears that had welled up in her eyes. "But I realized that I wronged him by doing so. Still, we had a great time together and I think he's helped me to get over Keitaro.

"I know that you two…" Unable to finish the thought verbally, she threw the other woman a knowing, if somewhat embarrassed, look.

"Oh my," Mutsumi exclaimed softly. "How?"

"You were in the Exhibitionist Room," Naru explained. "Ranma and I saw you two"

"Oh my." Blood rushed to the other woman's face as she blushed. "So, that's what's bothering you…"

Naru shook her head. "Like I said, Ranma helped me get over everything and helped me realize that while I might have missed that opportunity I still have many more before me.

"It was my talk with Motoko that made me realize how selfish and self-absorbed I am. I suspected that the other girls cared for Keitaro, but I never knew that they had put their feelings for him aside until I could sort out how I felt about him. I wronged them by not giving Keitaro an answer sooner. And I'm afraid that I'm doing the same thing to Motoko now that I'm getting closer to Ranma."

"You like Ranma?"

Naru nodded, a faint giddiness easing the burden in her heart. "But there's so much about him I don't know. And Motoko likes him too. I don't want to be selfish, especially after what she did in regards to Keitaro, but I want him too."

"But there's something," Mutsumi said, fishing for something more.

"I don't know," the younger ronin replied. "She hints that he's got a secret that could affect any relationship I have with him. What's he able to tell her that he hasn't been able to tell me?"

The voluptuous woman smiled knowingly. "You'll have to either ask him or trust that he'll tell you when the time is right."

Naru blinked. "That really doesn't help."

The brunette smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, but those are the only two options I see. Either way it's a risk you'll have to take."

* * *

The once cleared streets were bustling with life as Ranma and Shinobu navigated the vendor's stalls. For much of the morning and early afternoon, Shinobu set the pace and directed them to the various shops and vendors as Ranma deferred to her expertise in the kitchen.

With the long shopping trip over and only the short walk back to the Sou left, Shinobu fell into step beside Ranma, her mind deep in thought as she pondered how best to approach the master martial artist about her request.

"What's on your mind Shinobu?" Ranma asked as though reading her mind.

The timid girl nearly eeped in shock and did stop in her tracks. "Na-nothing," she lied.

The look that he shot her told her that he didn't believe her, but was willing to let it drop.

"Actually," she said, taking a deep breath as she dug up the resolve needed to accomplish her task. "Actually, Saotome-san"

"Just call me Ranma," the carefree martial artist said with a reassuring smile.

"Ranma," she blushed, still unused to being so informal with the older man. "I… would you…"

"You're not asking me to ask you out on a date, are ya?" he teased.

A surge of blood rushed to the young maiden's face. "Would you please teach me martial arts?"

From the lack of an immediate response, she knew that she'd caught him off guard. 'I've got a chance, he hasn't dismissed me outright.'

"Sure," he replied.

'_Huh?'_ "Really?" she asked, still skeptical of his response.

"Yeah," he shrugged, "why not. I'm a certified master, I don't have to petition anyone to take on an actual student, and you're young enough that I can mold you to be a competent martial artist in a few years. But I gotta warn you, it's not going to be easy."

Shinobu nodded.

"We can start tonight."

"Tonight? But it's the Festival tonight," she protested.

The carefree man smiled. "The first rule of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū is that you use every opportunity to train. Back when I was in high school I'd be seen running along the top of the fences or hopping from roof top to roof top."

"And right now?"

Ranma's grinned, "Where are all the groceries that we bought?"

The young maiden blinked. Examining him she searched for the multiple bags that he should have been carrying.

"It's a secret technique," he replied, beaming proudly. "One of my greatest rivals used the same technique to hide weapons on his body.

"Tonight, I'll start by showing you Martial Arts Cooking."

"Martial Arts Cooking?" Shinobu repeated, clearly skeptical. "If you don't want to teach me you could just tell me instead of teasing me."

Strong, firm hands grabbed onto her shoulders as the master martial artist looked her in the eyes. "I'm not teasing," he said gently. "I never joke about martial arts. And yes, Martial Arts Cooking is a definite style, not necessarily practical as no one else really uses it, but it's a start."

Shinobu nodded. The seriousness in which he spoke to her told her that he wasn't just treating her like a little kid.

"Most people start with basic skills," Ranma explained to her. "I'm going to start with your strength – cooking."

* * *

The warm, midday sun successfully erased any and all traces of the previous night's rain as the small crowds flocked to the handful of stores on each street. With several different sets of sporting wear in her bag, Naru felt slightly better about things. Though she knew she'd have to take things up with Ranma eventually, the auburn haired woman didn't want to actually spend any more time discussing it with the voluptuous Mutsumi.

"Mutsumi," she said, drawing the older woman's attention away from the lovely skirts that she was inspecting. "Why do you want to get into Todai so badly?"

"Oh," the brunette exclaimed with a smile, "I made a promise to someone very important to me that we'd go to Todai together."

The carefree woman's thoughtfully happy smile warmed even Naru as the pair stood nearly side by side.

"Even though I don't remember his name or face, I want to go to Todai as an actual student. I might not find him, but just knowing that I've accomplished my end of the promise would be liberating."

"Wow," Naru exclaimed. "That's so sweet."

* * *

For the first time in a long time, Shinobu Maehara realized how truly miserable she was. Her parents' divorce had been devastating and it had taken a while for her to get used to life at the Hinata Sou. She'd even come to think that she'd been happy there standing on the sidelines while Keitaro pursued the indecisive Naru. The smile that she'd worn for so long was forced, yet it now came so naturally.

It was her own fault really. She'd asked Ranma about the woman that she supposedly reminded him of, curious as to his mysterious background. Though he appeared to only be a few years older than she was the fact remained that he was significantly older. But hearing about Kasumi Tendo, a hint of sadness in Ranma's voice, and how the caring and polite woman allowed others to dictate her daily routine made the young maiden realize that she couldn't allow the same thing to happen to her.

She'd been content with simply cheering on Keitaro and Naru, allowing her own happiness to be side-tracked in the hopes that the one she crushed on would be able to find happiness. The realization had hit like, well, one of Naru's punches (not that she'd ever been hit by the short-tempered woman).

"You alright?" her companion asked, his carefree voice showing a bit of concern at her state of being.

Blinking, Shinobu realized why he was so concerned as the tears that were in her eyes blurred her vision. "Yeah," she mumbled.

"You sure?" Ranma asked as he guided her towards a bench.

"Hey baby," someone called out, "something wrong?"

"What kind of man makes a woman cry?" another voice demanded.

Shinobu looked up, her vision still blurred by her tears. Several dark blobs stood before her.

"Why don't you leave the chump and come with us?" another voice suggested. "We'll show you that we can treat a girl right."

Several whistles and encouraging howls filled the park as the punk's companions circled around the two Hinata Sou residents.

"Hey," one of the voices exclaimed. "I've seen her before."

"Yeah, in your dreams."

"No, she's one of those girls. She lives in that dorm at the top of the hill in Hinata."

"I heard they're pretty wild."

"The rest of the village thinks they're pretty rowdy. I'm sure we'd have a great time with her."

"If you know what's good for ya, you'll just walk away," Ranma stated as he held onto Shinobu protectively. "Just stay still," he whispered to her.

"I was about to say that to you," the apparent lead punk replied, his voice dripping with ill intent. "But have it your way."

Her vision clear, Shinobu watched as the lead punk rushed them only to be intercepted by a red and black blur and knocked onto his ass.

"You guys are out of your league," Ranma stated as he appeared in the very spot that the punk had been standing in before he'd been knocked off his feet.

"So, we got ourselves a martial artist," the lead punk grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet. "You guys aren't that tough. I've had more than my share of street fights."

"Yeah," one of the punks shouted encouragingly.

"The boss took out some stupid Karate Champion."

"He's good enough to take on a Pride Fighter!"

"But he ain't the only one who can fight!"

Shinobu glanced around the clearing. 'Seven to one,' she gulped.

"Good," Ranma smirked. "I don't have to hold back too much then."

"Grab the girl," the boss ordered. Pulling off his shirt, he revealed his heavily scarred chest and bandaged stomach. "But don't do too much to her yet. I want her around to see what we do to her champion here."

"Don't look away," Ranma instructed her. "Otherwise you're going to miss everything."

* * *

It was moments like these that Su realized she didn't need to invent some high tech body suit to allow her to spy on people. As smart as they were, sometimes people just forgot or failed to realize that they weren't as alone as they had thought they were. Such was the case when Kitsune barged in on Keitaro in the hot springs.

Su herself had been moments away from doing something similar, but seeing the older woman sneak up on Keitaro had drawn the younger girl's attention.

"Oh my god!" Sara exclaimed.

Okay, perhaps it was a good idea that they were wearing the light bending suits. Though she wasn't much older than Sara, Su knew that the younger blond shouldn't be seeing that or that. Instinctively she covered the other girl's eyes and mouth.

"Mmmh!"

Sara shook her head. "No watching," she ordered the other girl. "Not for our eyes."

"HMumhp!"

Su watched in rapt fascination as Keitaro fondled the busty vixen with one hand then slowly stripped her shorts and panties off. So engrossed in the action was she that she'd failed to realize that she'd lost her grip on the younger blond.

"Oh my god!" Sara exclaimed, only to have Su clamp her hands over the girl's mouth again. "I'll be quiet!"

The two blonds watched as the two adults engaged in heavy petting before pulling apart.

"Oh my god!" Sara exclaimed again as Keitaro was covered in vomit. 'This so beats my birthmark!' "I'm not taking a bath tonight."

* * *

Had she not seen it, Shinobu never would have believed that it was possible. In the blink of an eye Ranma had knocked out all seven punks, disarming them and leaving them in a crumpled pile before returning to her side. _'I don't know that even Motoko could do that.'_

"We should get going," Ranma suggested as he lead her out of the park. "The sooner we get back, the sooner you can learn Martial Arts Cooking."

* * *

"Man, I've got to start taking the morning trainings more seriously," Naru grumbled as she lugged the unconscious Mutsumi. 'That's what it feels like to have her massive breasts pressed against my back. It's fricken rubbing my bra the wrong way! Damned Keitaro, he wouldn't enjoy it as much if he was wearing a bra!'

Slightly grumpy, the auburn haired beauty flagged down a cab. There was no way in hell she'd carry Mutsumi back to the Hinata Sou like this.

* * *

Empty bottles stood on her desk, taunting her as she sought refuge from the pain in her heart. Fully dressed, Kitsune wondered how much she'd need to drink to forget everything.

"Kitsune?"

'Kami, here he comes,' the drunkard groaned.

"Kitsune?" Keitaro called out as he opened the door to her room.

"Don't," she muttered, "just don't."

"We… we need to talk," he said.

She couldn't, wouldn't look at him. "No," she shook her head, "we don't. Nothing happened, and no one needs to know that nothing happened."

"But something did, well," he muttered, "almost did."

"Just forget it," Kitsune hissed. Sitting up, she reached into her drawer for another bottle. "Just tell you girlfriend that I came onto you when I was drunk and that you resisted, then I threw up in the hot springs. She's going to love you even more for that."

"But you and I both know that's not what happened," he countered. "I should have resisted, but I didn't. If you hadn't pulled back we probably would have…"

The aching pain in her breast threatened to overwhelm her again. Even with Naru unofficially out of the picture, Kitsune couldn't go through with her plan. "Nothing happened Keitaro. Please, just go away!"

* * *

"That's everything?" Haruka asked as she eyed the twenty bags of groceries that now covered the table. "Where'd you put all of that?"

After an interesting day out with Shinobu, the pigtailed martial artist didn't feel like sharing that secret. "Martial arts trick," he smirked knowingly. "You ready Shinobu?"

"Yes," the young girl shot back.

"Good," he said, the smile never leaving his lips or eyes. "I'm only going to show this to you once."

With deliberate precision, the master martial artist peeled an entire bag of potatoes.

"Huh?" Haruka exclaimed, unsure what or how Ranma had done to peel the entire five kg bag of potatoes.

"Start with repetition," Ranma explained, "then increase the speed."

Shinobu nodded. 'That's easy enough.'

"Oh, and don't let me hit you with anything," Ranma added.

"Wha?"

A wet, slightly slimy feeling on her forehead suddenly drew her attention. Reaching up, she pulled off part of the potato skin.

"That might have been too fast for you," he muttered. "I'll go slower but start increasing the speed as I feel is necessary. Each time I hit you with one of these you're going to have to do a push up."

Shinobu gulped. "Yes sensei."

* * *

As the future leader of the Shinmeiryu, Motoko knew that there were a great many different styles of martial arts. Though few had the pedigree and storied history of the Shinmeiryu, each style had their own strength and weakness. Still, the idea of a Martial Arts Cooking style had seemed beyond silly. At least that was what she'd thought before she'd begun working at _Saotome's Grill_. Watching Ukyo work the grill it was clear to the kendoka that the chef was a master of her femininity, the grill, and of the arts.

Motoko couldn't help but feel honored at being able to watch Ukyo hard at work. Perhaps a connoisseur of food might realize that he or she was watching the work of a master, though Motoko doubted that.

'_Perhaps that is why Ukyo serves primarily only other martial artists,' _the kendoka mused_. 'They understand and appreciate the subtle movements and years of dedication as few are who aren't martial artist who are that dedicated to something.'_

With her shift for the day over, Motoko took her time to return to the Hinata Sou.

"Bathroom's closed," Keitaro stated upon seeing her.

"Closed?"

"Kitsune went on a bender and threw up in it," the dorm manager stated. "I'll have it cleaned up by tonight but it's best that no one uses it until I'm done cleaning. The other bath is open right now as is the one in the Southern Annex."

"I guess I can wait," the kendoka replied. "Where's everyone?"

"Naru and Mutsumi haven't gotten back from shopping, Kitsune's up in her room, and I think Su and Sara went down to help Ranma and Shinobu set up for the Festival."

Motoko nodded. "I guess I'll head down to lend them a hand."

"See if Ranma can lend me a hand with cleaning the bath."

Again Motoko nodded before exiting the Sou.

"Good job!" Su shouted encouragingly.

"Come on Shinobu!" Sara's broken Japanese punctuated the air.

'_Just what is going on?'_ Motoko pondered as she descended the stairs leading down to the isolated park that was to host the festival.

"Oh, he got you good!" Su exclaimed.

"Good dodge."

'_Are they sparring?'_ Motoko pondered. _'Why would Ranma spar with Shinobu?'_

It wasn't unusual for Shinobu to be cooking, or for Ranma to assist her, but seeing the young maiden rapidly peeling the vegetables as she dodged bits of food thrown by Ranma Motoko simply stared at the scene before her. _'He's teaching her martial arts.'_

* * *

A/N

Okay, I think I'll leave things here for now.

Dreamingfox


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes –

That was one intense Sunday Night game, and of course Favre being Favre with 3 INT's (one of them returned for a Touchdown and another that lead to another Touchdown!). It's good that Rodgers has that monkey off his back, now he just needs to get another come-from-behind victory.

Damn… Romo's out for awhile… I suffered my first lost against the only winless team remaining and I lost my QB for a few weeks or maybe the season. Traded for Big Ben and he only gave me 3 points!

Sigh, so goes Fantasy Football. Still went 4-0 this week, but went 2-2 last week.

Thanks to all the TFFers who've helped with their criticisms and feedback for helping me make this fic better than it was.

My Bad, I uploaded the last chapter twice.

* * *

Ever since she could walk, Motoko had dedicated herself to the way of the sword so that she could become the best swordswoman she could ever be and continue the long tradition of Shinmeiryu swordsmanship. But watching as Ranma instructed Shinobu, little, innocent, defenseless and harmless Shinobu in some previously thought inane style of martial arts, Motoko began to wonder if she really was as good as she thought she was.

True, using a knife to cut and peel vegetables was totally different from using a knife against an enemy in battle, but the display of skill was unnerving. Precision and speed as well as an innate knowledge of how to handle the blade… yes, though Shinobu hadn't fought with a blade, she was very familiar with handling one.

And to do it despite the fact that Ranma, a master martial artist in his own right, flicked dozens, no, hundreds of finely cut potato skins at her… it was impressive. True, Ranma wasn't going at full speed, but it was a good speed considering the accuracy and number of pieces he was unleashing.

"Ranma," Motoko called out.

Without even bothering to stop his seemingly relentless assault on the young maiden Ranma turned to the kendoka. "Yo."

"Keitaro requests your assistance," Motoko stated.

"Sure," Ranma replied. "Keep it up Shinobu. This time you're going to have to guard the meat from Kage and Tama. Cut the meat quickly and add it to the pot without leaving your current position – Kage and Tama are going to intercept the food."

An encouraging pat on the young girl's head later and the master martial artist was suddenly beside the kendoka.

She wasn't sure how long they'd gone up the hill in silence before Ranma finally broke the silence.

"Something bothering you?" he ventured.

"You're teaching Shinobu?"

The pigtailed martial artist nodded.

"Why?" she demanded softly.

"How many students does Ryoga have?"

"I don't know." It was the truth, but why didn't she know? He was her brother-in-law after all and he was a respected grandmaster, even if it was an upstart school. Still, he had earned the respect of the Aoyama elders to the point that they had allowed him to marry the woman that was at the time slated to be the next head of the Shinmeiryu.

"I'm the only master of Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū," Ranma stated. "Ryoga being the grandmaster is just a formality, a temporary necessity until I inherit the title. There have been plenty of masters who have lived longer than expected life-spans, but because of my self-imposed exile Happosai knew that he needed another, immediate heir because he couldn't wait for me to return.

"Everyone thinks that I was sealed because I was a threat to the Amazons, and I could have been, but after everything that went down, I lost my passion for the art. It wasn't until you came up to the mountain to train that I started to realize just how empty my life had become without the Art. It just happened that everything worked out and I could leave the mountain. I'm sure that if Ryoga thought I was ready he'd have broken the seal. After all, Shadow and his pack wouldn't have stopped him."

"So you're going to rebuild the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū?" the kendoka asked.

"Eventually," he replied. "But for a style to truly be passed on, it needs to be taught by a master to an apprentice."

"You're going to teach Shinobu all that you've learned?"

The pigtailed martial artist took a deep breath. "I don't know."

The kendoka paused even as Ranma continued to ascend the stairs. Taking three quick steps she caught up to him.

"I'll start with Martial Arts Cooking and see what other styles she could use."

"Why Shinobu? I'd think that Sara or Su are better suited to the arts."

Ranma considered her statement, nodding as he took another step. "She's got some talent," he stated. "It's been hidden beneath her timid demeanor, but it's there. Shinobu has more control than you, Naru, or Keitaro. All I have to do is get her to improve her physical skills. She's already graceful and has a good sense of balance, but she's going through a growth spurt, so she'll have to constantly adjust herself until she's finished growing. So long as I get the basics down now she should be able to become a capable martial artist. She might even exceed my expectations and become a master of the art."

"For an apprentice to acquire the advanced techniques of any school or style, the apprentice should have unusual talent," Motoko lectured.

"True, but in this day and age, there are few with that 'unusual' talent." Eyes closed, Ranma paused, taking in a deep breath of the cool night's air. "But Shinobu does have talent. The Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū could utilize her skills."

"But why her?"

Eyes opened, Ranma looked at the kendoka as she stood on the step above him, her brown eyes peering into his blue ones. "Because she asked."

The startled look on Motoko's face told him all he needed to know.

"She asked, and I assessed that she has some skill, and she has good mental focus and emotional control; she'd be a good student. Unlike you and Keitaro, Shinobu's not affiliated with any school or clan. Unlike Naru she's young enough to learn and develop the physical skills necessary."

"But Naru already practices," Motoko stated.

Ranma nodded his head. "If I were to teach Naru I'd have to erase everything she's learned – muscle memory and physical memory of what Seta's taught her. It's much harder for a person to unlearn something and learn something similar than it is to start fresh."

A moment's introspection was all Motoko needed. "Ranma," she muttered as he moved to walk past her. "I wish to settle my debt."

"You're not ready," he stated as he stepped onto the same step that she stood on. "Do you really wish to give up the sword so soon?"

"I'm ready," she replied, her voice firm with conviction.

"Fine."

The two martial artists walked up the remaining steps in silence. The darkness of dusk greeted them as they stood before the Hinata Sou. Standing across from each other, they looked eyes.

"I, Motoko Aoyama, of the Shinmeiryu, challenge you, Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū, to a blind battle," the proud kendoka proclaimed. "The loser is the first fighter to open their eyes."

'_Ah,'_ Ranma thought. _'She must have been training with Konatsu. I see what she's up to.'_ "Agreed."

As one both martial artists closed their eyes.

'_Two paces,'_ Ranma though as he gauged the distance that separated them. Quickly slipping off his shoes so that he felt the cool concrete beneath him, he waited for Motoko to make her move.

The rustling of gentle cotton was all the warning he needed to side-step a diagonal slash from her bokken. Ears straining, he followed the sound of her baggy clothes rustling in the wind.

'_By eliminating my eyes she hopes to limit my options,'_ Ranma thought, quickly assessing the situation. _'But in her clothes she's at a disadvantage. It's much too baggy. As long as I can get a sense of where she is I should be able to avoid her strikes. One good blow should be all I need to force her eyes open.'_

'_He's listening to my clothes,'_ Motoko thought as she set her footing. _'He's primarily a defensive fighter so he rarely attacks first, relying on his speed for a counter attack. Konatsu-sama was right. I won't be able to beat him like this.'_

Listening for her opponent, Motoko silently undid the first of the himo at the front of her hakama. With the first himo untied, she rushed again at Ranma. The horizontal slash forced Ranma to leap high into the air and away from her, allowing her to set her feet again even as she untied the second of the four himo. _'The extra drag should make my attacks all the louder, but hopefully he won't realize what I'm doing.'_

"If you want," Ranma's voice rang out, cutting through the silence, "we could go somewhere more private. I guess it's a good thing we're fighting blind."

'_Shit!'_ she chided herself mentally. _'He's onto me.'_

Suddenly the sound of his silk shirt flying through the air sent her on the defensive. With the front pair of himo undone though Motoko simply stumbled as the long hakama tripped her up. _'That's not him! He threw his shirt at me!'_

"If you give up now I'll let you challenge me some other time," Ranma said, taunting her.

'Six, no, seven meters to the east.' Standing up, she finished untying the remaining himo before undoing her kimono. The chill evening air sent goose bumps down her flesh as she slide out of her clothing. Clad in only her bindings and panties, she pulled out the end of the binding, allowing the strips to fall off of her torso. Now clad only in her panties, she stepped out of the pile of clothes at her feet.

"Wow," Ranma exclaimed, causing her to blush, "going all out."

"No peaking!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "But I'm sure that if I were I'd be getting an eye full."

Blood rushed to her face, warming her body as it circulated through her. Had her eyes been open and were she standing before a mirror, Motoko was sure that she'd be a bright red.

"Am I to take it that you're giving up on the seven virtues of bushido? You know, making the metaphor literal?"

'_Konatsu-sama did say that Ranma would try to egg me on, but I had no idea it'd be anything like this.'_ Gritting her teeth, Motoko turned to face Ranma.

Silence accompanied her as she rushed at her opponent. Again he leapt into the air, this time landing close to the Hinata Sou. Motoko continued her relentless attack, taking a heavy and deliberate step forward as she hurtled her bokken at Ranma. The sound of wood on flesh greeted her as she stood up.

"Interesting," Ranma said, his voice cool and steady. "Now you've abandoned your weapon too. Perhaps Tsuruko will have to produce an heir for the Shinmeiryu."

Ignoring his goading, Motoko listened as he discarded her bokken.

"Maybe you really don't want to be the leader of the Shinmeiryu," Ranma suggested. "Why else would you rush into a fight with me?"

Cool air rushed over her nearly naked body as she charged his voice. A straight, thrusting punch was slapped aside. Instinctively she ducked her head, rolling beneath the counter punch. A nimble roll sent her past Ranma. Pushing off the ground with her hands, she allowed her momentum to send her towards the wall of the Hinata Sou where she kicked off the sturdy wall, propelling herself at Ranma's back.

But the pigtailed martial artist had anticipated the attack, snapping out with a back kick. The sound of his pants rapidly displacing the air warned the kendoka, allowing her to prepare herself for the blow.

It felt like a sledgehammer had connected with her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs. Despite the pain, she clinched her eyes tightly, refusing to open them even as she ricocheted off the wall.

"Just give up," Ranma advised her. Accept that you are no longer going to be a Shinmeiryu.

'It's just like Konatsu-sama said,' Motoko thought as she slumped against the wall. 'I can't beat him with skill alone. He's just that much better than me.'

Her will to fight broken, Motoko stood tall.

Clearing her mind, she strained her ears for the sound of his breath. Cautiously, she took a silent step forward.

"Are you ready to give up?" he asked, confirming his position. "Did I break your spirit already?"

Taunts ignored, Motoko took another step forward, intent only one thing.

Reaching out, she grabbed his hand.

Startled, Ranma instinctively pulled back, drawing her even closer to him. The knee to the stomach knocked the air out of her already aching lungs.

The feel of his warm, bare skin against her bare breasts rewarded her for her efforts as she leaned against him.

"I love you," she gasped into the nook of his neck.

Her other hand came up to his face even as her other hand wrapped around his waist.

"Ranma!"

With the master martial artist pressed against her, Motoko could feel his body tensing as Naru's voice called out to him.

"Motoko!"

The momentary panic in the pigtailed martial artist's mind over-rode his usual calm and relaxed demeanor. With Motoko's weight added to his own Ranma fell back.

"It's not what you think!" Ranma shouted. Rolling around, he reversed his position with Motoko. Quickly he pushed himself to his feet only to have Naru's patented punch connect with his jaw.

* * *

The feel of the cold evening air as it rushed passed him at incredible speeds.

"Huh, she definitely doesn't hit as hard as Akane," Ranma muttered as his flight slowed. Weighing his options, he decided to open his eyes. A quick glance downwards wall all he needed as he mentally plotted his trajectory. Arms and legs spread out as far as he could reach, he lamented the fact that he'd left his shirt on the ground during his duel with Motoko. Still, he was experienced with such flights. It was a simple matter of adjusting his body and limbs to lessen the speed of his descent as well as to direct it.

"Damn," he muttered. "I lost."

Fortunately the apex of the impromptu flight was just over the roof of the Hinata Sou. Minor adjustments allowed him to land on the roof with little effort. Rushing to the front of the building he tried to focus on Naru's swirling battle aura.

His mind racing, Ranma lowered himself off the ledge of the roof. With his foot he opened the window to Naru's room. A gentle swing was all he needed to enter her room as he released the gutter. Not wanting to let the cool air into her room, he closed the window behind him before taking several steps into her room.

"You're pretty fast," he smirked as Naru entered her room. "That must mean you didn't pick a fight with Motoko."

"Pervert!" the feisty beauty shouted as she charged at him, her arm winding back to unleash another devastating punch.

"You're pretty cute when you're mad," Ranma quipped. "Not that I want to get you mad."

The quick complement disrupted her anger just enough.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. Sinking to his knees, he bowed his head. "I never realized that things would get that far with Motoko."

Anger quickly gave way to sorrow as Naru crumpled to the ground, only a step inside her past the threshold to her room. "So"

"It was a duel," Ranma stated. "Motoko was pulling out all the stops to defeat me, and she did."

"She likes you," Naru mumbled.

"Narusegawa!" the kendoka's voice called out from the hallway. "It's not what you think!"

The flustered kendoka rushed into the older girl's room. Though Motoko had gathered her things, she clearly had not had the time to properly dress as she chased after Naru. Standing in the doorway to Naru's room in only her panties and her undone kimono, the kendoka blushed as she realized that Ranma was also present.

"Pervert!" Naru shouted as she attempted to jump Ranma.

Unfortunately the auburn haired beauty hadn't accounted for the bindings that the other woman carried. Springing to her feet, Naru stepped onto the end of the binding, catching her foot in the loop as she launched herself at Ranma.

Still on his knees, Ranma tried to spring to his feet and catch Naru. The fact that she'd looped her foot in the bindings that Motoko carried and had pulled the shocked and semi-naked kendoka escaped his attention as he braced himself for another punishing punch.

Off-balance, Naru collided with Ranma mere seconds before Motoko collided with them as Murphy's Law shorted out their combined training in the arts.

* * *

"Today just can't get any worse, can it?" Keitaro sighed as he rummaged through his dresser. "I've got to do my laundry."

"Ranma!"

The familiar voice of the fiery ronin reached his ears even as Naru cleared the last of the steps. The sound of fist on flesh made Keitaro flinch reflexively. As the recipient of many of her patented punches, Keitaro knew better than anyone the power that Naru possessed.

'_Glad it's not me,'_ the three time ronin sighed. _'If she finds out about me and Mutsumi, not to mention what nearly happened with me and Kitsune, I'm sure she'd be belting me. At least Ranma's really immortal.'_

The sound of heavy footsteps racing through the Sou, up the stairs and finally on the third floor as Naru raced to her room filled the time as Keitaro pulled off his dirty clothes. _'Man, gotta go commando until I do my laundry.'_

Lighter steps raced through the hallway, chasing after Naru.

"You're pretty fast," Ranma's voice flowed through the hole in his ceiling. "That must mean you didn't pick a fight with Motoko."

"Pervert!"

"You're pretty cute when you're mad - not that I want to get you mad."

The sound of the master martial artist dropping to his knees and adopting the Crouch of the Tiger brought a slight smile to Keitaro's face. _'That move really works.'_

Another set of knees hit the floor.

"It was a duel," Ranma explained. "Motoko was pulling out all the stops to defeat me, and she did."

"Narusegawa!" the kendoka's voice interjected. "It's not what you think!"

"Pervert!"

It wasn't until he noticed the light coming from the hole in the ceiling that Keitaro realized where he was standing as he'd been distracted by the drama going on above his head. The absence of light should have prompted him to move. If not for the fact that he was still pulling on his pants (sans boxers) he probably would have moved out of the way as Ranma, Naru, and Motoko crashed through the hole in the ceiling/floor and spilled on top of him.

* * *

A thunderous collision woke Kitsune from her drunken slumber. "Damn." The mousy gray haired woman rolled out of bed, protesting every second of the way. An offhanded glance at her alarm clock told her the time, though it didn't prompt her to rush out of bed. Feet dragging, she forced herself out of her room as she trudged towards her neighbor's room and the source of the disturbance.

"What the hell's going on in there?" she grumbled, not daring to shout for fear of sending a stabbing pain through her skull. Hearing no answer, she forced the sliding door open.

'_Limbs and clothes,'_ she thought as she assessed the situation_. 'Oh…OH!'_

Her mind no longer dulled by mass quantities of liquor, Kitsune stood up. "I gotta get a picture of this!"

"No!" four sets of voices cried out in unison.

"Move your leg!" Naru shouted as she poked her head out from between Ranma and Motoko's limbs.

"Dude - that better not be what I think it is!" Ranma shouted as he turned towards the man beneath him.

"Um," Keitaro blushed even as he gasped for breath. "You did crash into my room while I was changing."

Not wanting that part of Keitaro's anatomy to press up against his bare back he shifted around.

"Who's hand is that?" Motoko growled.

Neither man said anything as both of them tried to account for their limbs.

"Keitaro!" Naru shouted.

"It wasn't me!"

"Ranma!" Motoko growled.

"Pervert!"

* * *

The sight that greeted him wasn't anything close to what he'd expected. Then again, few things were ever what he expected at the Hinata Sou. Still, after the fiasco that had taken place in Naru's room and spilled into Keitaro's room, the mess in the baths was easy.

Even though Naru couldn't put her whole body into the short punches, knees and elbows that she unleashed on him as they lay entangled as they were in Keitaro's room, the sheer ferocity of the hits made him think about the feisty woman.

"So we need to flush out the entire system and replace the filter," Keitaro grumbled as he explained the procedure.

As a part owner and resident of the Hinata Sou, Ranma knew that he was responsible for assisting Keitaro with the maintenance. "What exactly happened here?" Taking a deep breath, he put all thoughts of Naru out of his mind.

"Kitsune threw up," the dorm manager replied, his back to the pigtailed martial artist.

No expert at body language, Ranma still had his doubts about the other man's answer. Still, it wasn't his place to pry.

"How'd you're date with Naru go?" Keitaro asked, obviously trying to change the subject. Yet with everything that had happened the previous night and that morning, neither man had a chance to talk without having one or more of the women around to overhear.

"Not bad," Ranma replied as he waited for the tepid water to drain.

Neither man said anything as the water level slowly lowered.

"Naru knows about you two," Ranma finally said, breaking the silence once he was sure that no one was listening in on their conversation.

The ronin flinched at the warning. "Kitsune knows too," Keitaro finally admitted. "She came onto me when I was washing up."

Ranma nodded. He'd been in that position before, though Shampoo wasn't as skilled in the feminine arts of seduction as she was at traditional kung fu and martial arts or as skilled as the sultry Kitsune. "And?"

"I… we… nearly did something that we both would have regretted."

"And what would you have regretted?" the pigtailed man asked for clarification.

"We… I was naked, and Kitsune was in her panties..." Keitaro explained. "She knew that I'm with Mutsumi, and said that she only held back because Naru was out of the picture. She promised to keep from telling anyone if we… you know. I agreed. But when it came down to, you know… she threw up on me. That kind of killed the mood.

"We talked afterwards, and she said that nothing happened… that we shouldn't tell anyone that nothing happened."

"You clearly don't agree, otherwise you wouldn't have told me."

The remorseful ronin nodded.

"I don't want there to be this odd tension between the girls," Keitaro grumbled.

"At least they're not trying to kill each other," Ranma quipped.

"Huh?"

"You only got the abridged version of my story," the pigtailed man stated. "Let me tell you everything I remember."

* * *

"Wow," the auburn haired beauty exclaimed as she watched Shinobu dice and slice the vegetables for the stew. "You've gotten better."

"Thanks," the eager young maiden smiled at the praise. "But this is nothing compared to what you do with Sempai in the mornings."

Despite her best attempts, Naru couldn't help but blush as she thought about the, well, mess that had happened in her room.

"You know, you and Ranma kind of remind me of how I was with Seta," Naru absently observed.

Had she been paying even more attention she might have noticed that Shinobu had missed a cut, leaving a single piece of carrot significantly thicker than the others.

'_I'm like she was?'_ Shinobu thought as she slowed her pace and resumed the even cuts. _'Does that mean she thinks I'm crushing on Ranma?'_

"We'll probably be too busy to have dinner with everyone," Naru added as she nicked a piece of carrot. "Even though it's Sunday we're going to have to make up for not studying the last two nights."

"But aren't you studying right now?" Shinobu remarked.

"Of course," Naru replied, turning the page of her text book. "But we'll be studying together tomorrow. When we're together we get to check each other's work and check on our progress. Ranma's really come a long ways since he first started, and even Keitaro's shown remarkable progress.

"Why don't you join us?"

"Wha?"

"Ranma could use some help with reading the English version of Harry Potter, I think he said he's on the second book," the auburn haired woman said off-handedly. "I'm sure you two could work together on your homework as well. It might be good for Ranma to try instructing someone to show that he really knows what he's doing rather than just memorizing the answers."

"Oh," the young cook exclaimed. "If you're all fine with it…"

Naru nodded_. 'Of course I'm fine with it - it's weird being alone with those three, especially after what happened this weekend.'_

* * *

"So much for the Potato Cooking Festival," Keitaro lamented as he measured a board for cutting.

"One thing I've learned in life," the other man interjected as he used his bare fist to drive the nails into the perfectly placed board.

"It's that things can always be worse," the ronin muttered.

"Yeah."

Neither man was willing to simply sit around while there was work to be done. With both of them working hard the task was complete sooner than either man had anticipated.

"Pretty impressive," Ranma smirked, breaking the silence. With all that had been said between them when they'd cleaned out the baths neither felt the need to talk much as they completed the repairs to Keitaro's ceiling and Naru's floor.

Keitaro nodded before giving one final apprising look at freshly varnished floor. "So, all this time and you're still a virgin?"

Ranma blinked. "Yeah."

"So, like, for ten years…"

"Mind over matter," the master martial artist finished. "A true martial artist knows to control his body and his urges."

"Still… ten years… and you're in the body of a teenager. When I looked that old I was…"

"Dude, I don't want to know," the pigtailed man shuddered. It'd only been a few short hours ago that that part of the other man's body had been pressed against his lower back.

"You're older than me, but you're not really a man," Keitaro remarked thoughtlessly.

His pride bruised, Ranma turned to the other man.

The scathing look from the normally upbeat and carefree martial artist was all Keitaro needed to know that he'd crossed a line he shouldn't have.

Both men walked down to the isolated park in relative silence, each deep in their own thoughts.

"Hey," the cheerful voice of Ranma's first student cried out, "there's still plenty of stew left."

"Thanks Shinobu," both men said in unison.

All eyes turned to the pair of men as they descended the last flight of stairs.

"How's my room coming along?" a slightly annoyed Naru grumbled as they approached her.

"We had to put in a new floor and supports," Keitaro explained.

"Here's some stew," Mutsumi said as she approached the two men.

"Here Sempai." The young student smiled as she greeted her instructor with a bowl of the steaming broth.

"Nice job." His keen eye appraised his student's work as he took in the evenly cut mixture of vegetables and meat. "Smells good."

"So I'm going to be able to sleep in my own room tonight, right?" Naru asked as she stood before Ranma.

"No," he replied.

"You can stay with me," the voluptuous brunette offered. "It'll be like a sleep over."

* * *

Gentle snores filled the air despite the restlessness that the she felt. Though she had promised to sleep over in Mutsumi's room, Naru had ended up on Kitsune's room, watching over her drunkard friend as the sly vixen had consumed an astonishing amount of liquor. Everyone in the Hinata Sou knew that Kitsune drank a lot, but none of them had ever seen her drink that much at once. What had startled everyone though was that Mutsumi had consumed twice as much as Kitsune, prompting Keitaro to carry her back to the Sou and leaving Ranma to take care of Kitsune.

With the departure of the two men, and two of the new residents the other residents decided to call it a night. The clean up went fairly quickly even though the three youngest residents bore the brunt of the work. Fortunately Ranma's speedy return allowed Naru to replace him even as she replaced him at Kitsune's side.

Despite all that Kitsune had consumed, the hearty drunk had not thrown up, making Naru's duty of watching over her friend all the easier. Still, Naru couldn't rest.

The gentle snores couldn't drown out the creaking floorboards over her head, a clear sign to her that Mutsumi wasn't as drunk and wasted as Kitsune despite the amount of alcohol she'd consumed.

Then again, she hadn't been the only one to drink copious amounts of beer or whatever fruity concoction that Ranma and Shinobu had brewed.

Unwilling to simply endure the creaking ceiling above her, Naru decided to excuse herself, rolling out of the futon before casting a cautious glance at her passed out friend. A parting shake of her head later and the auburn haired beauty was on her feet at the door.

The cool darkness of the cloudy night embraced her as she walked down the hallway towards the second floor bathroom. Time did not fly by for the restless woman as she relieved herself and marched back towards Kitsune's room. Not wanting to stare up at the ceiling as those two went at it, Naru crept towards Ranma's room.

Though the pigtailed martial artist often had Kage as his side, the midnight black beast rarely ever slept in his room, instead it tended to prowl the grounds as the residents of the Sou slumbered peacefully.

"Ranma?" she whispered as she reached for his door. "Are you awake?"

"Hmmm… Naru?"

Taking that as a sign that he was acknowledging her presence, she slid his door open just enough to slip into his room.

* * *

Sleep was supposed to be the time that one's mind rested even as it continued to process everything that one learned or experienced in a day. It was supposed to be restful and relaxing even, but for Ranma Saotome sleep and slumber were no friends of his. He did not sleep, not in the traditional sense of the word. Yes, he allowed his mind and body to relax, but he never let it loose like most people did when they slept. No, he meditated, or he tried to.

Yet tonight he actually slept. With all that had happened to him even he couldn't keep from falling asleep. The few times he did sleep were often full of visions of those moments when his mind had been broken – the neko-ken incidents or the Nerima Incident – each a horror in their own right.

But tonight was different. It was not the image of immortal beasts that had once been his family or visions from a lowered perspective that greeted him. Visions of a very naked Naru and nearly naked Motoko danced through his mind. Recollections of their soft, hot flesh pressed against his bare flesh were refreshed as he dreamed.

Had he bothered to actually keep track of those dreams, the dreams he'd often had before everything fell apart in Nerima, Ranma might have realized that he really was trapped in the body of a hormonal teenaged boy.

As much as he would deny it, well, perhaps even more than he could and had denied it, the sight of Akane's naked body hadn't excited him. Yes, she had nice, perky breasts, but she'd been just a bit too muscular and tone for his tastes. The same had been true of Ukyo, though part of that was because the cross-dressing girl tended to dress like a boy. Shampoo had a great body, but her borderline possessiveness with killing him (well, killing his female form) had kept him from really being turned on by the aggressive Amazon.

True, Naru and Motoko both had a temper, but they were both very feminine. The sight of each of them naked had turned him on as much as he didn't want to admit it. It didn't help that he'd done more than just seen them each naked.

"Ranma," Naru called out to him.

"Hmmm," he moaned as the busty girl rubbed up against him.

His loins were hot with desire. And she was willing and naked…

Hot, sticky liquid threatened to erupt from his loins. "Naru."

Suddenly his sleepy, unconscious mind was gone, replaced with his keen, quick mind as he woke instantly at near loss of control. 'Shit! That was close!'

It took a moment for him to realize that he wasn't alone in his room. Instinctively he sat up as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night. "Naru?"

"I… I thought you were awake," she whispered.

His raging hormones were getting the best of him, forcing him to take a deep gulp of cool night air. Unfortunately that did little to control his third leg, though the darkness made it hard if not impossible for Naru to notice the ten he'd pitched.

"You alright?" he asked in an effort to appear normal. His heightened senses picked up on her scent – jasmine, making his rigid member harden even more.

"Just restless," Naru replied. "If you're tired I'll just go back to Kitsune's room."

"It's alright." He lied. It wasn't alright. But he didn't know what else to say.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Slowly, cautiously, she made her way towards his futon and away from the door. He could hear her shuffle her feet as she approached him. Finally she reached his bedside, squatting down as she did so. "Sorry."

The gentle whisper was just loud enough for him to hear, though Ranma wasn't sure why she was apologizing to him.

"I shouldn't have hit you before," she added. "It wasn't your fault, and I rushed to judge too quickly."

Dumbfounded, Ranma simply sat in bed. _'That's a first.'_ Unsure what to say, Ranma simply sat in his bed.

"I… I guess that's all I have to say," she finally said, breaking the mood of the moment.

Before she could stand up and walk away a lightning quick hand reached out, grabbing hold of her wrist.

"Don't go," he found himself saying. The words sounded unusual, almost as though he wasn't sure what he was saying. Perhaps his mind hadn't woken up completely and was now acting out, provoking the short tempered and feisty woman before him.

Yet the punch or hit or kick that usually signaled her loss of control wasn't thrown.

Instead warm lips greeted him as Naru leaned forward, kneeling on the edge of his bed as she did so.

Gently he pulled her onto his lap and his now very obvious erection as he embraced her. Breaking the kiss, he gazed into her eyes. "Is this what you want?"

He could hear her sharp intake of breath. The feel of her ample breasts pressing against his chest was answer enough for him as she moved to kiss him again.

His body and mind addled by lust and the allure of the busty girl now straddling his lap, Ranma slowly pulled her on top of him as he lay back.

Suddenly she pushed back, pulling away from him.

'_Damn! It's too soon. I shouldn't have done that,'_ he chided himself.

The sound of silk brushing against skin greeted his ears. As though on cue the clouds parted, allowing a sliver of silver light to illuminate his room as Naru removed her top. The view was spectacular, robbing him of his breath like a Ryoga uppercut to the stomach. "Beautiful."

* * *

The smell of the hot grill and cooked okonomiyaki was a refreshing change of pace for Motoko, especially after the chaos that had surrounded the Hinata Sou the previous night. The now repetitive work at Saotome's Grill allowed Motoko put her thoughts aside as she allowed her body to work.

"Something bothering you?" Konatsu asked. The cross-dressing co-owner of the exclusive restaurant was ever perceptive as always. Few details slipped past his keen eyes. "Let me guess, you challenged Ranma."

The kendoka nodded slightly as she cut the vegetables.

"As it needs to be an official challenge, you do need a witness," the male kunoichi added.

The slender kendoka paused.

"Did you win or lose?"

"We were interrupted," Motoko replied.

"It doesn't matter," Konatsu countered. "Anything goes with Ranma."

"I think I lost," the kendoka stated.

"Then it's good that you didn't have a witness."

The kendoka sighed. "But I used all the tricks you showed me. I was down to my panties, was about to kiss him…" she blushed, thinking back to the end of their duel. "I even told him how I felt about him."

The silence was overwhelming.

"You're screwed," Konatsu stated, breaking the silence.

"Is he that much better than me?"

"You have to ask?"

"No, but I do want to know what you think."

"Work hard, train hard, and push yourself past all preconceived notions of your limits and skills," the ninja stated. "Only then will you actually stand a chance against him if you're really serious about defeating him without any handicaps or tricks."

* * *

Not since she'd first become a resident at the Hinata Sou had Shinobu ever felt so out of place in the kitchen. As the best cook of all the residents she'd quickly taken charge of the kitchen, making it her domain. But today the kitchen was filled with various cookie cutters hanging from the ceiling and bowls and pots of various sizes were strewn about the table and counter.

"So," her sensei said, a proud look on his face, "your task today is to cut the vegetables and meat, then throw the various ingredients into the appropriate bowl or pot."

Shinobu could only nod her head numbly.

"Of course you'll have to stand here while you're cutting things and can't move from this spot until everything is in their right place," he added.

Absently twirling a pair of knives in his hands, the master martial artist skillfully peeled several carrots with one hand while dicing green peppers with the other. With a simple flick of the wrist he sent the precisely cut vegetables flying through the air, through a cookie cutter and into one of the pots.

"Simple enough," he said, a confident smile on his face. "Of course you won't be able to do it that well right off the bat."

"Um, so I don't have to use the knife to throw them?"

"Not yet. Just cut then throw. Kage and Tama will oversee your training. Once you manage to be able to throw everything in, try doing it faster."

Shinobu nodded. The tasks he gave her were always about speed, precision, and control, yet they managed to push her past any of her preconceived notions of what was physically possible. He didn't show her any set forms because he didn't believe in any set style or form as there were multiple ways to things like kicking and punching that wouldn't work for everyone, allowing her to find what worked for her and to improver herself through intense training and repetition. It really was straightforward and in many ways simple, though the tasks themselves were far from simple to her.

Still, it was a beginning.

* * *

The lingering smell of varnish hung in the air even though she'd opened the window to her room. The newly installed floor was nice, but the fact that she wouldn't be able to sleep in her own room for another night annoyed the feisty auburn haired woman. Even sitting in Mutsumi's room which neighbored her own she could smell the varnish.

With Ranma taking some time to instruct Shinobu and Keitaro finishing installing the ceiling panels in his room, the two ronin women had decided to enjoy the newly cleaned onsen rather than endure the smell of the varnish.

Being relatively early in the morning and with the younger girls busy with their own activities, the two women had the onsen to themselves.

"You haven't talked to him yet, have you?" the voluptuous brunette suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Her focus now on her friend and neighbor, Naru recalled their previous conversation. "No, I haven't."

"So you've decided to wait until he brings it up?"

Despite her best efforts not to, the auburn haired beauty blushed, recalling why she'd slipped into his room the previous night. But was that the real reason why she'd gone there? Uncertain, she shook her head. "I'd like to know, but I just can't ask him."

"But you trust him enough to be intimate with him."

The younger ronin sat up straight, startled by the knowledge that Mutsumi knew what had happened between her and Ranma. "H-how…?"

"The way you walk," the busty woman replied. "You walk as though you're sore. It's subtle, but noticeable. Also, his scent is on you. I'm guessing you didn't get a chance to clean up."

It was all true. She'd been sore. Then again, she'd never had something that big between her legs before. And she hadn't had time to clean up after laying in his bed for over an hour; she'd barely had time to gather her things and slip back into Kitsune's room.

Kitsune… did she know too? The sly-eyed woman had given her an odd look that morning before quickly dressing and leaving for the day. Surely she knew.

"Do you trust him?" Mutsumi asked.

Blushing, Naru forced herself to nod.

"I still think you'd be better with Keitaro."

Astonished by the remark, Naru stared at the older ronin.

"We might be intimate," the older woman smiled, "but we're not exclusive. We've never declared that we're together, and though I wouldn't want him to be with another woman, I could share him with you."

She was dumbfounded. Unable to think past what Mutsumi was telling her, Naru simply sat there unable to do or say anything.

'_But I'm with Ranma.'_

The carefree and loving woman reached out to her, taking her hand. "You still care about Keitaro, right?"

Naru gulped, nodding. _'I do care about him.'_

"I love Keitaro," Mutsumi stated. "But I love you too. I just want us all to be happy."

Before she even knew it, Mutsumi was pressing her lips to Naru's. She could feel the other woman's warmth even though they both were sitting in the hot water.

Her mind told her to push the other woman away, but her body did just the opposite, pulling Mutsumi even closer into a tight embrace.

The sudden kiss finally broke as Mutsumi pulled away just enough to break the contact between their lips. "Promise me," she whispered huskily, her breath laced with passion, "don't tell anyone about this."

Naru gulped again, her eyes gazing into the deep brown eyes of the other woman. "I promise."

"Kitsune tried to seduce Keitaro," Mutsumi stated. "Right here, while he was bathing yesterday. He almost gave in but in the end nothing happened."

"That pervert," Naru grumbled. A sudden upwelling in her stomach demanded that she find Keitaro and beat him.

"But we're not exclusive," the voluptuous woman said.

Naru was now very aware of where the other woman's hands were under the surface of the hot water as nimble fingers began to massage and caress her inner-thigh.

"Between the two of us we can keep him from looking at the other women," Mutsumi suggested. "You don't need to know Ranma's secret if you're not with him. And Keitaro won't keep any secrets from you or from me."

'_That's true…. Oh that feels so good.'_ A wave of pleasure warmed her body as even the hot water could not do.

Lost in her carnal pleasures, Naru didn't even notice that the older woman had shifted them so that she now sat behind her until she felt the soft and firm breasts pressed against her back. Gentle kisses along the nape of her neck and shoulders sent intense waves of electricity through her body and brain, befuddling her. "But Ranma…"

"You can let Motoko have him," Mutsumi finished as she began nibbling on the younger woman's ear.

Skilled fingers cupped her right breast, tickling and caressing at the same time as the older woman probed her supple flesh.

"You don't want to come in the way of the other girls and another man, do you?" the voluptuous vixen asked. "Not when you can share Keitaro with me, right?"

* * *

"I don't ever want to grow up," Sara remarked.

Her companion simply shrugged. "Growing up isn't bad."

"But it's so complicated," Sara sighed. "First Keitaro and Kitsune get naughty in the bath, then Kitsune throws up all over him. Now Naru and watermelon lady are getting naughty."

"But getting naughty can be fun," Su remarked.

"How would you know?"

The evil genius turned to the younger girl, an unusual glimmer in her eyes. "You wanna try being an adult?"

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things there for now.

Please review.

Dreamingfox


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes –

Yes, this is a cross over, and since the timeline takes place during the LH series, that series is obviously AU.

Now, to reply to a few reviews.

Ranma was sealed to prevent an international incident. He agreed to be sealed because he knew he was a threat to himself and to the others.

Yes, the LH crew appear to be more selfish, but that's the point of this fic. In cannon everyone is very selfless, the other girls completely fold for Naru at the end despite the fact that they each still care/love Keitaro. Here, the kid gloves came off because there's another man in the picture. Ranma's usually helpful to others, but he's egotistical and narcissistic, but he's learned that he needs to grow up.

That's it for now. Now onto other stuff.

Man, another week goes by and my FF teams go 4-0. We'll see next week if Moss helps or hurts Chris Johnson's production as the Titans are on bye this week. Too bad Romo's out for Boy's at Green Bay, but hopefully Big Ben will give me the production I needed this week.

Oh, and I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't been updating as much. Blame it on other ideas popping into my head and the fact that Part I of the Deathly Hallows is about to come out. Yeah, I've been watching the other movies and re-reading the books. I'm sure I won't be completely satisfied with the film, but what movies are made to exceed the books? Very few have ever exceeded the books that they are based off of, and considering the HP series' track record I can't say that I and other HP fans will be 100% satisfied. Yes, I know, some of you hate HP, but some of us do like it.

Hmmm… Maybe I should work on my two Ranma x HP fics…

* * *

"I think we should try the whipped cream," Ranma suggested.

"I think the hot water trick would be funnier," Keitaro added.

"That's just mean," the voluptuous brunette shook her head. "She's asleep, let her get her rest."

"She's right," Keitaro ceded. "Naru probably didn't get enough sleep since she had to watch over Kitsune last night."

The others failed to notice that Ranma had buried his face into the soft cover book he was reading. "I still say the whipped cream would be funny. The hot water would just be messy, and we'd have to clean Mutsumi's floor."

The dwindling light of the day shone into the third floor room as three of the four Todai hopefuls continued to study even as the fourth slept.

Between flipping through the hard to obtain English version of the Chamber of Secrets, the English to Japanese translation book, and the actual Japanese version of the Chamber of Secrets, Ranma had failed to notice that Naru had fallen asleep. If not for Keitaro asking Naru for assistance with a math question the others would not have notice. In an unusual display of immaturity, the two men had taken to suggesting various pranks to play on the slumbering ronin.

"Ranma," the sleeping beauty mumbled, prompting the three Todai hopefuls to look at Naru.

"I think she's dreaming about your date," Mutsumi teased.

"Just what did you do on your date?" Keitaro asked, joining in on the teasing.

'Nothing compared to your date,' Ranma mused as he resisted the urge to throw it back in their faces. "We saw _'Ninja Scroll'_."

"Hmmm, Mutsumi…."

The two men glanced at Naru then at Mutsumi.

"Why's she dreaming about Mutsumi?" Ranma pondered aloud.

Keitaro nearly fell over as images of the two busty women and Ranma filled his mind.

"Knock it off wise guy," Ranma muttered as he threw a pencil at the other man.

Taking the eraser tip to his head, Keitaro sat back up, smirking at his friend. "So, are you two…" he held out his hand, curling his pinkie.

His nose still in his book, Ranma didn't bother glancing at the other man. "We're just friends," Ranma replied. "It's too soon to say."

Not bothering to see if either of the others actually believed him, Ranma returned his attention to the books in his hand. It helped that he'd already read all four of the Japanese versions of the Harry Potter series, but he found that there really was something lost in the translation. It was hard to put his finger on it, but it was noticeable. It was either that or his dictionary/translation was just off.

But it really was the truth. Despite what had happened last night, or the fact that they had both enjoyed their late night tryst, neither one had ventured to ask the other about what it meant for them as individuals and potentially as a couple. Truth clouded by uncertainty.

A gentle rapping at the door told them that they weren't alone anymore.

"Shinobu," Keitaro called out reflexively even as he extracted himself from the heated desk, "let me give you a hand with that."

"Don't," Ranma suggested as he eyed his student, "she's got to work on her stamina and strength. Besides, it's only four cups, a kettle of hot water and one of tea."

It was more than the young maiden usually carried, especially since she carried it up three flights of stairs, but like everything that he'd tasked her to accomplish it was just a start.

"But," the overly compassionate ronin tried to rebut the other man.

"Thank you for your concern," the petite girl said, a soft smile on her face. "But Sensei is right – this is part of my training."

"Wait til I show you Martial Arts Tea ceremony," Ranma added, a confident smile on his face.

"How's the book?" Shinobu asked as she waited for them to clear a spot for the tray.

"Here," Mutsumi finally said as she removed a few books from the desktop. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," the young maiden replied as she set the tray down. "I've started preparing dinner; it should be ready in two hours but I'll call you down if you're all still studying."

"You don't have to do that," Keitaro proclaimed.

"No," the young girl shook her head. "It's part of my training."

"You're so diligent," the voluptuous brunette remarked. "But how is it that Ranma instructs you by just having you do menial chores?"

"I love to cook," Shinobu replied. "And Ranma is just challenging me to work on my basic forms. I have to master those before I can move on to more advanced techniques."

Ranma simply nodded, not even bothering to look away from the dictionary as he tried to puzzle through a word he didn't recognize. "What's 'Parseltongue'?"

"That's Harry's ability to speak to snakes," the short haired girl answered.

"Right…. It's a made up word…"

"Well, the tea's here, and the hot chocolate's over here," Shinobu explained as she pointed out the various packets and the two different kettles. "I'll be going now."

"Thank you again," Keitaro said as he watched the young girl depart.

"Thank you."

"Thanks."

The sound of the cups being set on the wooden table top greeted Ranma's ears as Mutsumi prepared to serve the drinks.

"Tea?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," the other ronin replied.

Mentally marking his place in the books, Ranma set them down before turning his attention to the drinks. Truth be told, he wasn't much for tea or coffee. In his male form he didn't like sweets as much as his old cursed form did, so hot chocolate was out of the question. Settling for just plain hot water, he eyed the gently snoring Naru. "We've got hot water now."

He could feel Keitaro and Mutsumi shoot him a look.

"Fine, I'll just wake her up gently."

Leaning to his side, he reached out, pinching her nose so that she couldn't breathe. The simple act quickly resulted in the slumbering ronin waking up as she tried to catch her breath.

"Ach!" the auburn haired woman shouted as she sat up suddenly. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to wake you up," Ranma replied, a playful smirk on his face as he sat up. "Shinobu brought some hot water."

"That's not" a left punch connected with his shoulder "how you wake someone" smack, another punch connected "up!"

The pigtailed martial artist playfully pulled away from the blows.

"You call that gentle?" Keitaro teased as he accepted a cup from Mutsumi.

Distracted as he was, Ranma still couldn't help but notice the slightly disapproving look that the voluptuous woman shot Naru. _'What's up between them?'_

* * *

"You're sure about this?"

The energetic blond could only nod.

"It's so… unscientific," her companion remarked.

Again Su could only nod. "We need to test them before we use them on ourselves."

"Where'd you get them from?"

"That's a secret."

Sara eyed the other blond skeptically. "How do you know that it'll even work."

"That's why we're going to test them."

* * *

The unusual tension in Mutsumi's room was throwing off his ability to enjoy reading Harry Potter. Having zipped through the Philosopher's Stone during the morning, the master martial artist couldn't help but feel more than a bit irritated by the unaddressed tension. The normally unassuming and easy going man opted to excuse himself from the study session upon finishing the Chamber of Secrets.

It felt strange. Never before had Ranma been so perceptive about how people were looking at him. Yes, he'd had plenty of people pay attention to him back in Nerima, but he'd never cared about the looks that they shot him or how they acted around him. Mousse and Kuno were prime examples of that as he'd often ignored their sometimes outright hostility towards him. But the vibe he was getting from Mutsumi wasn't necessarily directed towards him, and it wasn't hostility or ill-intent…

"Hey!" Su shouted as she and her partner in crime jumped at him, each aiming a well placed strike at the master martial artist.

As always he easily evaded their combined greeting attacks. Only Keitaro was prone to failing to properly defend himself from their sneak attacks as his occasional lapse of focus caught up with him.

"Yo," Ranma greeted cheerfully, his mind now free of any thoughts regarding Mutsumi.

"Miss again," Sara grumbled as she landed a few steps away from him.

"You're not going to catch me off guard like that," the pigtailed man smirked. "So what have you two been up to?"

"Nothing," the younger of the two replied. "Shinobu just kicked us out of the kitchen."

His confident smirk gone, he eyed the two pranksters. "Trying to sneak a snack, huh?"

"She won't put bananas in anything!" Su protested.

"And with Kage and Tama always watching over her training they don't ever come out to play with us," Sara added.

"It is Sunday," Ranma muttered. "Let me check on how Shinobu's doing first, but I might have something that'll keep the two of you out of trouble."

* * *

"You're sure about this?" the timid maiden asked as she eyed the field.

Ranma nodded. "You've improved your speed and coordination," he stated, "now it's time you start working on your balance."

Shinobu could only look at the twenty meter long by three meters wide area filled with stumps of various height and sizes and the two stoves on each end.

"This will be a test of your endurance, speed, coordination and balance," he explained. "All you have to do is tend to all of the dishes as they cook."

Shinobu nodded. She knew that arguing with him over trivial things like the fact that two of the two gas fired stoves were twenty meters apart and separated by a field of stumps (freshly cut trees curtsey of Su and Sara).

"Oh, and you can only cross the path using the stumps."

Shinobu gulped. That was going to make things harder, though considering that Ranma could leap up into a tree and spring off the branches, she knew that it wasn't impossible. Still, the stumps were uneven in height and the ground was sloped. It clearly was not going to be an easy.

A fierce look of determination appeared on the young maiden's face, washing away any concerns she had with the challenge.

Ranma smiled. Even after just a few days of training he could see the results starting to pay off. No longer was Shinobu the timid waif of a girl. The confidence and assertiveness she displayed in the kitchen were slowly extending to other areas of her life. Then again, she did spend most of her time in the kitchen while at the Hinata Sou. Perhaps he'd have to check on her life at school and see how things went there. Or he'd just have Su check on Shinobu. After all, it was easier for Su since she went to the same school as Shinobu.

* * *

A gentle breeze greeted the slender young woman as she exited the restaurant. Sunday had proven to be nothing like any other day at Saotome's Grill. Not only was the restaurant busier as the more casual martial artists stopped in to enjoy some okonomiyaki, but other fighters and patrons came to test their skills against other patrons and occasionally against Konatsu. With the host and primary waiter thus occupied it fell upon her to take up the slack.

Even the Hinata Café had never been that busy, but then again, Saotome's Grill did primarily cater to martial artists. And the frequent sparring matches between practitioners of various styles kept the patrons hungry.

Slightly exhausted (though she'd be hard pressed to ever admit it) from the unexpected work and the sparring, Motoko was surprised to see Mutsumi as she walked towards the train station.

"Motoko," the busty woman called out.

"Otohime-san," she returned.

"You're always so formal and polite," the older woman smiled warmly. "You don't have to be so formal with me; please, just call me Mutsumi."

The two women walked in relative silence for a few blocks before Mutsumi spoke up again.

"I hope I'm not being too intrusive," the older woman said finally, "but might I inquire about your relationship with Saotome?"

"Ranma?" the kendoka blurted out.

"So you're familiar with him?"

Motoko continued to walk, deep in thought as she pondered the double meaning of the question. "I guess you could say so."

"How do you feel about him?"

Again the kendoka considered the question, choosing her words carefully.

"I don't mean what do you think of him as a martial artist, but as a man," Mutsumi added for clarification.

"Why?" Motoko demanded.

"You know that Narusegawa asked Ranma out on a date," the older woman stated.

Motoko eyed the other woman. "What are you getting at? Just the other day I told you how I felt about Saotome and Urashima."

"Do you still feel the same way?"

"Why?"

"Because I think that Narusegawa would be happier with Keitaro," the older woman answered.

"But aren't you dating Keitaro?"

"His heart is large enough to encompass the two of us."

Motoko blinked, unsure of what she was hearing. "You're willing to share him with her, but not with anyone else?"

"I love them both," the voluptuous brunette replied. "I want them both to be happy. And I know that Ranma is an honorable man, but I believe that if she chooses to pursue a relationship with Ranma she'll be hurt.

"For two people to be in a relationship both people must be open and honest with each other. I know that Narusegawa is capable of that, but Saotome…"

'_She doesn't know about his curse.'_

"You know something," Mutsumi stated. "But I'm sure that you're not allowed to speak of it either. Do you think it's fair for him to keep something like that from her?"

* * *

To the scientific mind dreams were merely a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep. But to the less scientific they could be seen as involuntary visions.

Regardless of the nature of the dream the message was what disturbed Naru.

The bath she'd taken that morning had not gone the way it had in her dream, but Mutsumi's intent had been the same – Ranma wasn't being honest with her. Clearly he had a secret that he was keeping from her and from most of the residents.

The sex was mind-blowing, if somewhat restricted by the fact that they weren't able to go all out without fear of waking up the other residents in the Sou. But the knowledge that he was holding back, both in bed and with his trust was slowly wearing her ragged.

"Something on your mind?"

Stirred from her thoughts, Naru turned to face the dorm manager.

The ever empathetic manager was usually good at picking up on the unusual vibes thrown off by the girls of the Hinata Sou when they were distressed about something. He'd sensed the strange air in Mutsumi's room once Naru woke up as well despite being focused on mock exams that he and Mutsumi had been working on.

"Mutsumi," the auburn haired beauty finally said, "she told me about what really happened in the baths with Kitsune."

The ronin paused. A weak smile formed on his face even as he averted his eyes and blushed. "You, you shouldn't"

"Whatever happened," Naru interjected, "it's between all of you. But the fact that you were willing to tell her about it and be honest with her…"

The two stood in silence for a moment, neither sure what to say.

"Honesty is important," Keitaro finally said, breathing the awkward silence.

Naru could only nod in agreement.

"If you don't mind me asking," he said quietly, "how serious are things with you and Ranma?"

The auburn haired girl blushed.

"Do you think you could have a serious long-term relationship with him?" he added.

A tentative nod answered his query.

"Then you need to sit down and talk with him about your long-term goals for your relationship," he suggested.

Again Naru nodded. "Wait," she muttered.

Keitaro shook his head, cutting her off. "If you want the answers it's best to go to the source."

* * *

"Dinner's almost ready," the young maiden declared to her dorm mates as she prepared to set the final dish on the table. The veritable buffet of food had taken the entire day for her to prepare, though it was much more than she used to cook. Still, it was well worth her effort as she'd managed to complete the day's training.

A quick glance at everyone gathered around the dinner table though told her that the adults of the group weren't paying attention to the feast she'd laid out. Well, only Ranma had paid attention to the food that had been laid out, but that was in part because he'd picked out the menu and overseen her preparations.

Even with matter of his student's training, Ranma could tell that there was an unusual tension hanging over the Hinata Sou. Still, this was the time for dinner. Whatever it was that was bothering the others could wait until dinner was over.

"Ranma," an unusually timid Naru Narusegawa said. For a moment the tension in the kitchen became so thick that a butter knife could cut the air.

For his part the master martial artist had noticed the looks that Keitaro, Motoko and Mutsumi had shot him then Naru. A chill ran up Ranma's spine.

"Ranma," Naru repeated, "can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "Why don't you guys go ahead and eat," he suggested as he stood up.

The immortal lead the young woman out of the kitchen then up to the annex roof, the heavy air becoming heavier with each step as the tension built.

Neither spoke for minutes as the cool evening wind blew a handful of leaves about the roof of the Hinata Sou.

"Ranma," Naru finally said, breaking the pregnant silence and finally looking up at him. "What are we?"

The simple question threw the master martial artist for a loop. He really didn't know how to answer the question as he had never actually been in this situation before. "I don't know."

It was no surprise that his response didn't elicit an immediate response. The auburn haired beauty looked torn as she contemplated his answer. "After all that's happened I've come to trust you. But you don't trust me, do you?"

Her words hit like a serrated arrow through the heart. It was true, he couldn't trust her with his secrets. It wasn't like Nerima where he could get away with doing virtually anything. No, things were different here. He'd allowed himself to be sealed on the mountain for nearly a decade because he knew he'd be a threat to anyone who'd be willing to follow him into China. Even as an immortal Ranma knew that the odd of him successfully annihilating the Amazons was low, and the odds of the others making it out would be even worse. And the fact that he wasn't able to be turned into an ermine was the only reason that the Magical Alliance had agreed to sealing him to avoid an international incident.

"You're right – I haven't been able to trust you with everything. I'm sorry, but there are things that I just can't share with you."

"But you can share them with Keitaro and Motoko?" she interjected.

"They may not be on my level, but they are from martial arts families. There are things that I can't tell you."

"So you don't trust me."

"It's because I care about you that I can't tell you all my secrets."

Her tears hit the deck, the sight of them hitting him harder than anything he'd ever endured while with Nerima Wrecking Crew. He wanted to stop her tears, to comfort her somehow, but he knew he couldn't.

"I guess they're right," he muttered. "We can't be together. Even though we both live at the Hinata Sou, we live in different worlds. We might be aiming for the same goal currently, but it looks like we're can't take that journey together."

For the first time in a long time the weight of his decision, of his life, nearly made him want to give up. With forced effort he walked over to the sobbing girl. "I do love you," he whispered to her. "Last night was wonderful and I'll remember it as long as I live. I don't regret anything that happened between us and I hope that you don't either."

* * *

As the apparent heir to the leadership of the Shinmeiryu, Motoko never once thought that she'd had things easy. True, some of her matches with her school's kendo club had been easy, but that was kendo.

Never before had she felt the urge to do something but known that she was powerless to do anything. The simple act of sitting at the table was the hardest thing she'd had to endure in a long time.

She wanted to talk to Ranma and Naru, to tell him that she loved him. But she couldn't. Not with her current status as an indentured servant to him. And she couldn't tell Naru to just have faith in the pigtailed immortal after hinting that his secrets might endanger any relationship he could have with the auburn haired beauty.

Distracted as she was, Motoko barely registered the fact that Shinobu had dished out some food onto her plate. Absently she accepted the food. Her body reacted as though it were pre-programmed taking the chopsticks and picking up a mushroom off the plate. Without thinking she put the raw mushroom to her lips.

* * *

"Ranma-sempai!"

The cry from his young student prompted the master martial artist to rush down the remaining stairs.

"Ranma-sempai!" Shinobu cried out.

"What is it?" he asked as he rushed to the dining room.

"Wh-what was the recipe that you had me cook up?"

'_That's a surprise,'_ Ranma noted as observed the startled young girl, _'she'd normally be stuttering or running to meet me.'_ "Just some stir fry, why?"

"Come see!" Shinobu said as she moved out of the doorway.

With the petite girl out of the way Ranma had a good view of the dinner table. Eyes wide, he realized just why Shinobu was so worked up. Before him the rest of the Hinata Sou residents, sans Naru, were sitting, crawling, or climbing on the furniture. Well, that wasn't unusual in and of itself. What was unusual was that they all appeared to be 2-3 years old.

No, that wasn't true. Su and Sara were still their normal ages.

"Sorry," Sara squeaked as she withered away from Ranma's sharp and questioning look.

"Where'd you two get the mushrooms?" he demanded even though he knew the answer.

"I thought they might be tasty," Su replied, completely unabashed as she played with a now two year old Motoko.

"She got them from your room while you were training yesterday morning," Sara answered as she kept Kitsune from climbing onto the table.

"How many did you take?" he asked.

"Just a handful of the small ones," the darker skinned blond replied as she eyed the mushroom on the end of her fork.

"We slipped them into the ingredients when you were explaining the training you had for Shinobu," Sara added.

"Kei-kun," Mutsumi squealed as she pulled herself out of her adult-sized skirt.

"Mutsumi!" the boy responded as his head popped out of his now oversized sweater.

"Myuh!" Tama exclaimed as the turtle eyed the situation.

Ranma sighed. "Keep them out of trouble," he instructed the girls. "I'll go see if I have any mushrooms that'll turn them back to the right age."

"You can fix this?" Su beamed.

Ranma turned to the mischievous girl. "Don't ever go into my room again," he scowled. "You don't want to know what I'd do to you if you do."

The older blond girl gulped. As the only fighter of the three girls she could feel the ill-intent that Ranma was shooting her with in his gaze. His piercing blue eyes only fortified his words, forcing her to nod and accept his decree.

Never one to take his time when in a rush, Ranma zipped over to the stairs, then swiftly leapt up to the landing between the first and second floors.

"What's going on?" Naru asked as she appeared at the top of the second set of stairs.

His momentum getting the best of him, Ranma leapt up the stairs towards Naru. Unable to stop, he swept Naru off her feet into a bridal position before landing. In a flash he shifted her position so that she was now over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Small emergency."

"What's going on?" she demanded as she slammed her balled fists into his back.

"Stop hitting me!" he shouted as he rushed towards his room.

"Then put me down!"

Relenting, Ranma stopped, setting her down. "Fine."

"What's going on?" she demanded again as she eye Ranma.

"I don't have time to explain," he replied, turned to head towards his room. Only Naru's hand on his wrist kept him from continuing on his errand.

"More of your secrets," she mumbled sourly.

"I've got to go," he stated.

Naru shook her head defiantly. "Tell me what's going on!"

"Go to the kitchen if you want to know," he grumbled.

"Just tell me," she urged as she refuses to let him go.

He tried to pull away from her, he really did, but he couldn't. Somehow Naru managed to hold onto him as he tried pulling his hand away from hers, resulting in him pulling her to him instead. Instinctively he caught her in his arms as she pushed up against him.

The feel of her full breasts pressed against his chest caused another part of his body to respond. Despite knowing that he needed to attend to the situation in the dining room, Ranma couldn't, wouldn't let go of Naru.

"I… I thought you were in a hurry," Naru said breathlessly as she felt his growing erection poking her.

Ranma gulped, recalling the emergency. "I thought you wanted to find out what was going on."

He didn't know why but his hand slowly hiked up her skirt, pulling it up over her moist panties.

"I thought you said we shouldn't be together," she stated, her warm breath caressing his bare neck.

"You're right," he grumbled, pushing her away with his left even as his right hooked her panties.

"Yeah," Naru nodded.

Ranma shook his head, trying to clear the lust out of his mind. "No." His resolve strengthened, he removed his hand from her firm posterior and the other from her hand. Priorities set, Ranma walked away from the alluring woman.

'_Mushrooms, mushrooms,'_ he thought, focusing on the true emergency_. 'Motoko's 16, Kitsune's 20, Mutsumi's 21, and Keitaro's 21.'_

The search proved to be futile, though not completely fruitless as he found three mushrooms that were 18-19cm and one that was close to 15cm. _'Two, maybe three days,'_ he thought, gauging the time needed to grow the mushrooms to their proper height. _'Three days…'_

* * *

"So the height of the mushroom determines the age that you'll turn?" Naru asked. As the oldest person aside from the immortal and as the resident with the most seniority, it fell to her to be the responsible one. "Why the hell do you have magic mushrooms in your room?"

"Gift from the grandmaster of my school," Ranma explained. "Shouldn't you be wondering why Su was snooping around my room?"

"You're a stranger here still," the fiery woman stated. "Unlike Mutsumi who Keitaro and I knew from before, no one really knows anything about you. Those that know of you aren't saying a thing, so she felt the need to snoop around in your room to find out more about you. She's also young and full of energy. If I were in her shoes I'd probably have done the same thing.

"It was your fault for leaving those where someone could find them. You should have locked them away at the least. In all actuality you shouldn't have brought them to the Sou."

"It's not Sensei's fault!" Shinobu exclaimed, cutting Naru's rant. "Su shouldn't have been snooping around in someone else's room."

The blond in question sat quietly, trying not to draw any more attention to herself.

"It would be irresponsible for us as the adults to leave Su and Sara in charge of them," Naru stated as she waved at the four transformed/de-aged adults.

"Right," Ranma ceded, seeing just where Naru was headed with her line of thought. "So you want me to watch those rug rats?"

"Of course not," Naru replied. "Who'd _trust_ you with children?"

The subtle jab irked Ranma.

"No," Naru said, shaking her head, "you'll be helping me watch them until your mushrooms are large enough to turn them back.

"Su and Sara were responsible enough to find them clothes that fit. Besides, Su's notorious for being rough when she sleeps, not to mention that her room is basically a jungle."

"Um," Sara ventured to interrupt the discussion.

"Liddo-kun!" Mutsumi cried out as she hugged the stuffed animal. Even in her sleep she was extremely cute.

Sara cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the two remaining adults. A stern look from Su though silenced the younger blond.

"Su, Sara," Naru said as she finally turned to the two younger girls, "you're excused. You can go to bed now. I know you have school tomorrow."

"What about Motoko?" Su asked.

"We'll have to call into her school and inform them that she's sick," Naru replied. "Fortunately the others don't have anything that they have to show up for. Good thing Ranma and I don't have any other obligations either so we'll be able to watch over them until we turn them back."

It came as no surprise to Ranma that things were easier said than done, at least when the saying was being done by someone else and the doing was being done by him. Yes, it was much harder than he'd cared for. No, it wasn't hard, it was just unpleasant.

With the four de-aged adults sleeping between the two remaining adults neither one had managed to get any sleep.

His life on the road and his unwillingness to sleep regularly allowed him to endure the night better as the two adults slept in shifts so that someone was always awake to deal with the minor emergencies that occurred overnight. Still, his years of training had not helped prepare him for wiping Keitaro's ass or walking Kitsune to the bathroom, though it did prepare him for changing the futon after Keitaro wet the bed.

The rising sun normally would have meant that he was wide awake and practicing his art. But that would imply that his day was normal. This was far from it. With Keitaro de-aged, Ranma was forced to tend to the young boy's needs. Even though he was still asleep, Ranma was sure that the little runt would get into some sort of trouble if he let his guard down. As the only one available to watch over Keitaro (as Naru, Su and Shinobu took Motoko, Mutsumi, and Kitsune into the bath), he was forced to watch over the sleeping boy.

"Ranma?" Sara's energetic voice hissed to him through his sliding door.

"What?" he replied grumpily.

"Can I come in?" the blond asked.

"Sure."

Throwing a cautious look over her shoulder, Sara entered his room (Naru didn't trust him and baby Keitaro to remain in her room when she wasn't there).

"We've got more mushrooms," the blond stated.

Ranma glared at the young girl, prompting her to cower at the door. Slowly, cautiously she revealed the bag that she was hiding behind her back. Extracting three mushrooms from her bag, she presented them to him. "I measured them, they're 19.7 cm each."

'_19.7 – that's pretty close.'_

The remorseful girl watched as Ranma accepted the offering.

With little else to do, Ranma jammed a mushroom down Keitaro's mouth and forced the sleeping boy to swallow.

"Maybe I should have undressed him first," Ranma muttered as Keitaro instantly grew, shredding his now undersized clothes.

"Huh?" the clueless ronin exclaimed. "Why am I in your room?"

"Long story," Ranma muttered, discretely shooing Sara out of the room.

"I had the strangest dream last night."

The pigtailed martial artist smirked. "I'm sure you did."

* * *

"Wow," Kitsune beamed. "A good night's sleep really does wonders for the body. I swear I haven't looked this good since before Keitaro came here."

Naru simply nodded. Though she was glad to have her friend back, it was odd to think that just an hour or two ago Kitsune had been a 2 year old toddler. To see her back in an adult body was refreshing, even if this Kitsune was just a bit younger in body than she'd been before dinner last night.

"What bug crawled up your ass?" Kitsune added as the sly-eyed woman turned to her near lifeless friend.

Though the other woman had been one of the older students in their class, both of them had been together since middle school. Even after Kitsune opted out of continuing her education and went ahead with her writing and pursued a career in journalism they had remained friends, though most of that was due to the fact that they lived at the Hinata Sou together. Still, Naru had to admit, Kitsune did know her best.

"Just a long night," Naru finally replied. _'Someday I'll tell you about it, maybe. No, knowing you, you'd try to get your hands on more mushrooms just to stay young.'_

"Another late night tryst with Ran-ma?" the sly-eyed woman teased. "I saw the way you were walking yesterday."

Naru bristled even as she blushed.

"So, give me all the juicy details."

The auburn haired girl averted her eyes, trying to avoid the topic.

"Something definitely happened," Kitsune pressed. "But from the way everyone was acting at dinner, I'd have to guess that you tried pushing him away."

The younger woman didn't know what to say.

With a sigh Kitsune walked over to her immature friend. "Naru," she said as she wrapped her arms around her," as smart as you are, there are times when you're an idiot."

"Huh?"

"I've known you since we were in middle school," Kitsune explained as she felt the other woman tense up. "If I remember correctly you shot down over two dozen guys, and that was in middle school. You never even talked about guys in high school except for Seta. And then Keitaro comes along and the bitch that you keep locked up inside showed her true colors."

Naru blinked, still not sure what to say or even how to take what her friend was telling her.

"You've always been very guarded with your emotions and heart," the other woman stated. "I don't fault you for it, considering your history with your dad, but you've let it get in the way for so long. Every time a guy gets close to you, except Seta, you push them away. You started to open up with Keitaro, but I guess he couldn't wait for you and he's moved on.

"And maybe you rushed into things with Ranma, but now you're pushing him away."

"I wouldn't be pushing him away if I didn't have a reason!" Naru snapped back.

"So what's your reason?" Kitsune asked patiently and calmly.

With Naru in her arms, Kitsunewaited for her oh-so-smart-yet-sometimes-an-ass friend to collect her thoughts as she picked her words.

"Relationships are supposed to be built on love, trust, and honesty," Naru finally said. "But he's been keeping something form me."

Kitsune blinked. "That's it?"

"What do you mean 'that's it'?" Naru exclaimed. "That's big. Keitaro and Motoko know, but he doesn't trust me enough to tell me."

Gently she pushed the other girl away, allowing her to look into Naru's eyes. "You're an idiot," she stated. "Everyone has secrets."

"Like what happened between you and Keitaro in the baths the other day?"

"Yeah," Kitsune ceded. "That's between us, but everyone seems to know…

"Anyways, I'm sure you haven't told anyone about your parents, or about your step-sister. The only reason I know is because I knew you before you came here."

Unwilling to cede the point, Naru opened her mouth to object, only to have Kitsune shake her head in response. "You expect him to tell you all his secrets but aren't willing to share yours with him? That's kind of hypocritical isn't it? But maybe you're just afraid of opening up to him."

"But why do Keitaro and Motoko know his secret? Why can't he trust me?" Naru protested.

"Naru," Kitsune said in a clear, calm voice, "trust isn't given blindly, it's earned. Both of you have to earn each other's trust. Maybe you did jump the gun with your relationship, but do you think Ranma's worth fighting for?"

Reluctantly, Naru nodded.

"Good," Kitsune smiled. "Because if you gave up on him I'm sure that Motoko and I would be willing to pick up the pieces and considering that both of us allowed you to go after Keitaro, we probably wouldn't let you just have Ranma without a fight. But if you're actually with him, we'd respect that and we won't come between you."

Her doubts eased, Naru took a deep breath of refreshing air. "Thanks Kitsune."

The other woman smiled. "Any time, that's what friends are for after all."

Naru nodded, grateful for her friend's advice.

"Now, go find Ranma and make up with him," Kitsune suggested. "The sooner you do the sooner you get to have make-up sex – trust me, it's great!"

* * *

Art, the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning; skilled workmanship, execution; studied action, the quality, production, expression, or real, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or more than ordinary significance – all were ways to define that three lettered word.

But to Ranma, art was a way for him to express himself. The martial arts in particular allowed him to work through his emotions and thoughts, helping him to achieve peace of mind and hopefully in life. Anger, frustration – whatever emotions threatened to overwhelm him were always pushed aside whenever he practiced the arts.

Still, that didn't mean that it didn't feel nice to hit someone.

The swift kick to Keitaro's solar plexus knocked the wind out of the other fighter, putting an end to his thrusting punch and to the fight as a whole.

"Mercy," the other boy called out as Ranma stood over him. Normally Keitaro wouldn't have had to call for it, but ever since waking up the ronin had a feeling that Ranma had more of an edge to him.

Still, it was unnecessary as Ranma offered his hand to the other man, helping him to his feet.

'_Maybe it's because I've been aged back a year.'_

With the younger residents of the Hinata Sou currently at school the two men were allowed to spar unimpeded and uninterrupted. Even with plenty of room available to them, the sparring match migrated away from the Hinata Sou.

"It's so quiet out here," Ranma stated as he leaned against a tree.

Keitaro blinked. "We're in the mountains," he exclaimed, finally realizing just where they were.

Ranma simply nodded.

"So," Keitaro panted as he eyed the other man, "let me get this straight. I'm now in the body of a 19, almost 20 year old, only losing about a year off, but because of that I've lost all my stamina and endurance?"

"Looks like," the other man replied. "Guess you won't be able to have those marathon sessions with Mutsumi for a while."

The ronin blushed. "You should talk."

"You don't have to worry, it probably won't happen again," Ranma sighed. "Naru doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Wow," Keitaro exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see it, but you're actually admitting defeat."

"What's the point?"

"Not even bothering to deny it, huh?"

Not sure what to say, the usually clever martial artist simply stood his ground.

"We're both treading on unfamiliar ground," Keitaro stated. "Despite your age, you've never actually had a serious relationship with anyone, the same as me. All I can tell you is that it's never as easy as it seems, but in the end, it's worth it."

"You're speaking as though it's over," Ranma pointed out.

Keitaro shrugged. "It's not over, but I believe that in the end it'll all be worth it."

"Maybe for you, but you're not the one who'd have to see your loved ones grow old and die."

"You've been watching too much Highlander."

"Why would I do that? The fight scenes are so lame."

"Well, maybe to someone who can jump three stories."

For a moment, Ranma paused. "Naru doesn't trust me," he said, changing the subject. "She said something to the effect that she can't love someone who isn't willing to share all his secrets with her."

Keitaro shuddered. "Wow. Good think I'm with Mutsumi. She doesn't mind that I sometimes fantasize about the other girls."

Again Ranma paused. "Dude, that's sick. Su's like 14, and Shinobu's only 13, and I don't even want to think about how old Sara is."

"Not them," the flustered ronin exclaimed. "You know, the other girls."

Ranma shook his head disapprovingly. "This ain't some harem manga. These are real people we're talking about. If you really respect them you wouldn't be fantasizing about them like that. You're just objectifying them.

"It's hard enough to be happy with one person, how the hell do you think you'd be able to be happy with several women?"

It was Keitaro's time to pause and reflect as the ronin pondered his companion's statement. "I guess you're right," he finally ceded. "But I just want everyone to be happy."

"It's nice that you care about everyone, but if you stretch yourself thin for one person, how are you going to manage doing that for everyone? I've tried to please everyone before, and look what happened to me and to them."

Again Keitaro took his time to mull over Ranma's sagely advice.

"I'm going to think things over," Ranma finally said as he pushed off of the tree he'd been leaning against. "I probably won't come back tonight."

"It's supposed to get cold tonight."

"I've lived on this mountain for a decade. I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

* * *

For the longest time the pigtailed martial artist used to think that the reason why those sagely old men who lived on the tops of isolated mountains did so just to make it all the harder for others to seek them out and that the journey was a means of proving their worth to the sage. Having lived on the mountain for nearly a decade though, Ranma understood why the sages did what they did. It wasn't just because the journey up the mountain discouraged people from seeing them; it was because they didn't want to be disturbed. Having reached enlightenment, the sagely men knew that remaining with society only weakened their souls and resolve as they constantly endured temptation like a blade taken to the stone. Sure, the edge was sharp, but eventually the blade would break as it lost more and more of itself each time it was sharpened.

The sagely men before him had given up on living with society, choosing solitude and peace instead. It was a choice that Ranma could respect and perhaps even appreciate.

Things had not gone as he'd expected in his short time at the Hinata Sou, yet he knew that if he were to really return to his cabin that he'd be admitting defeat.

Still, a night away from the Sou would be beneficial if only limiting his time around Naru. Like no other woman before, the auburn haired beauty threw him off kilter. Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo had all been temperamental at times, but none of them were as hard to grasp as Naru, though Akane was pretty close. Not only did Naru befuddle his mind, but she could obviously get a physical reaction from him as well.

'No, I can't think about her,' he mentally chided himself, pushing aside the image of Naru bathed in the silvery light of the moon as she straddled him the prior night. The image had been etched into his mind, each recollection getting a rise out of him despite his best attempts to control himself.

Even sitting in the hot water of his makeshift bath, Ranma knew that thinking about her was wrong. She'd made it clear that she didn't trust him, yet her body language had suggested otherwise as was evident in their encounter outside of his room.

"Ranma!"

The pigtailed martial artist blinked. 'I'm hearing things.'

"Ranma you jerk!"

Wiry of, well, everything, he slouched in his tub, submerging himself in the scolding hot water so that his head was completely beneath the rim of the tub.

"Dammit Ranma!" Naru bellowed. "I know you're up here! Keitaro told me you came up here. I nearly had to beat the location out of him! I could see your campfire from a kilometer away. I know you're here!"

He contemplated responding yet couldn't find anything he wanted to say to her.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, her footsteps growing closer with each second. "I was wrong!"

That wasn't what he'd expected.

"I know I said some mean things, and I know I tried pushing you away," she admitted. "But… I can't help but feel afraid… I've never let anyone get this close to me before… and I'm afraid that you're just going to break my heart. I… I don't know if I can handle that.

"It's like when we were in the love hotel. I felt that I couldn't trust you to not peek, but you didn't and you proved me wrong. Then I realized that I didn't want you to peek at me because I felt that you'd think I wasn't pretty or beautiful. And after you saw me sparring in just my panties I realized that you don't care about how I look and I was beautiful in your eyes."

'_Wow,'_ Ranma thought as he slowly inched his way out of the tub, _'she really does over-think things.'_

"I realize that maybe the timing of things is, well, odd," she added. "But I really do love you. I… you were my first… and I'm glad. I wouldn't want anyone but you to be that person."

Ranma found himself standing up despite the fact that he was completely naked. "You were my first too," he admitted.

"I'm sorry," Naru said as she rushed over to the fire and the bath. "Wait, what the hell are you doing?"

"Bath," he replied. "There's no running water up here."

"Oh," she replied, her eyes now on his rigid member. "Um… I… um… I forgot what I was going to say."

A warmth spread throughout his body as he smiled. "You don't have to say anything," he said as he stepped out of the tub. "Wanna join me?"

"Sure," Naru replied, gulping as she forced her gaze away from _that_. Before she knew what she was doing, she'd stripped down, not even hesitating at the invitation he'd offered her. Of all the men she knew he was the only one that she didn't have any problems with being around him while naked. "How do I get in?"

"Over here," he explained as he pointed to the brick steps that lead to the side of the tub.

"How'd you get this?" she asked as she took in the large stone tub.

"Carved it from hand."

"Really?"

"Martial artists in China do this thing where they slowly chip away at a boulder and make as fine and smooth a ball as they can."

"Really? That's impressive." Tentatively she walked up the bricks, eyeing the the giant tub.

"Actually it's clay," he smirked. Taking her hand he assisted her as she lowered herself into the hot water. "I dug some up and backed a giant tub out of it. Took me a while too since I can't have any air pockets in the clay or it ruptures when baking."

"Dammit," Naru slugged him playfully.

The little outburst allowed him to pull her to him, pressing their bare bodies together as he stole a kiss.

"It's going to be a bit tight," he stated once he broke off the kiss. "I designed it for just me and Kage, but the mutt doesn't like to take a bath."

Rather than explain how he build the bath Ranma settled for kissing Naru again as they lowered themselves into the water. With the busty young woman straddling his lap as they sat he leaned back, allowing her to press her breasts against his chest.

Gently Naru broke the kiss, pulling away just enough so that she could look him in the eyes. "Do you have a condom?"

Ranma blinked. He'd never thought about that. "No."

"Damn," she cursed. "There goes the make up sex."

"I'm clean," he stated in his defense.

"So am I," Naru blushed. "I mean, last time was our first."

Ranma nodded like an idiot.

"But, you know, we're young, and there are plenty of stories of girls who get knocked up and can't go to college because they have to take care of their children."

"Um," he muttered his eyed focused only on her eyes. "The truth is; I can't have children."

Naru blinked, not sure how to take the news.

"That's why they adopted Konatsu, to have someone carry on the Saotome name," he explained.

"But you got it up last time."

"Sterile, not impotent," he clarified. "My, um, swimmers, um, don't swim."

The admission was much harder than he'd imagined. Having been raised to be a man amongst men, the knowledge that he couldn't father children was a definite blow to his ego.

"Wow," Naru muttered. "That's the secret that Keitaro and Motoko knew and you couldn't trust me with?"

Ranma blinked.

"No wonder Tsuruko doesn't want Motoko to get too close to you," she added absently. "She couldn't have children with you if she did."

That was definitely news to him. Then again, it did make sense.

"But at least we don't have to worry about condoms," she grinned as she ground her womanhood against his manhood.

Leaning forward, he kissed her soft lips before playfully biting her lower lip. There was more he'd have to tell her, but that would be saved for another time. Now it was time for some make-up sex.

* * *

"You should have stopped her."

Keitaro sighed. It'd been nearly half a day since Naru had threatened to beat him up just so she could find out where Ranma had gone off too. Half a day was more than enough time for someone in her condition to make it up to Ranma's winter cabin. Then again, she didn't know the path there, so maybe it wasn't.

Mutsumi had been the first to lecture him for allowing Naru to chase after Ranma, though he sensed that there was more to it than just Naru's safety. Surprisingly Kitsune had not sided with Mutsumi, though perhaps that was due to the fact that she didn't want to side with the woman that stole him away from her and Naru.

Finally Su, Sara, and Motoko had piled it on once they returned from school. Only Shinobu's intervention kept the three school girls from doing anything as the calm and cool girl told them to not interfere with her sensei's love life. Despite their concern for Naru, the trio of girls knew that the path to Ranma's cabin wasn't that hard as each had made the trek before.

Unfortunately Mutsumi had taken the argument up again in private as the two ronin tried to study. It didn't help that Ranma and Naru weren't there for the study session. Though the soft spoken woman wasn't yelling in the traditional sense, it was unusual for her to be so forceful about any subject.

"Naru's a grown woman," he muttered as he tried to focus on the text book before him. "She's fully capable of making it up to Ranma's cabin by herself. I'm sure that she made it there before dark."

"That's not the point," Mutsumi interjected. "The point is that you let her go to him."

"What's wrong with Ranma?" the empathetic man asked. "He's a good man."

"With plenty of secrets – secrets that possibly could ruin any future he has with any woman."

Keitaro blinked.

"I know that you and Motoko know, but neither one of you is willing to say anything about it."

"That's Ranma's secret to share," Keitaro replied. "He's a good man who deserves his privacy."

"So let him have his privacy, you should have told Naru to wait for him to come back since he said he'd only be gone overnight."

"She was pretty intent on going," he countered.

"You could have stopped her, with your training you could have easily"

"Beat her up?" he suggested. "Forced her to see things my way? I'm not her personal body guard nor am I her keeper. She's entitled to make decisions for herself. Had she been irrational about things I would have stopped her.

"What is it about Ranma that you don't like, since this argument is clearly about him."

For a moment he was sure that Mutsumi wouldn't reply. The entire conversation had been uncharacteristic of her. Perhaps she was still feeling off kilter from being de-aged. Then again, like himself and Kitsune, she had been aged back up to 19 years of age. He hadn't known her then, but perhaps this was what she was like before he'd met her.

"She loves you, though she won't admit to it," Mutsumi finally said. "She only asked Ranma out because I asked you out."

He hadn't expected that. His reeling mind couldn't keep up with her argument though as it strained to make the connections.

"She knows about what happed on our date," the voluptuous woman stated. "And the following night she and Ranma…"

She didn't need to finish the thought aloud, he knew what she was inferring to.

"Don't you think that she's being too emotionally unstable right now? She's my friend, but she's making a mistake. I don't want her to hurt herself."

His rough hands found their way to his temples, rubbing the slightly moist skin as he tried to relieve his overworked brain.

"I know Ranma's a good man, but his heart is still filled with sorrow and hurt," Mutsumi added. "Don't you think it's too soon for both of them to be doing this together?"

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Mutsumi had a point. "It's too late," Keitaro said. "We can't do anything about what happens tonight. Besides, they're both adults. They're making adult choices and they're fully prepared to accept any adult consequences if there are any."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things there.

There is a lemon version, but you'll find it somewhere else (TFF).

Dreamingfox


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Notes –

Damn, my second loss…. Had I won I would have been guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Now I'm 7-2 and ahead on points alone. Damn… Romo's loss is killing my team. Come on Big Ben! I need some points!

Went 2-2 this week. I'm in the playoffs for at least one league, unfortunately there's nothing at stake in that league as most of the managers have given up. I'm guaranteed a playoff spot in one league, should have had one with a win in another, and might squeak in a third, but the fourth is probably not going to happen. There goes my chances at being defending champ.

Hehe…. Mint-berry crunch.

* * *

The chilly autumn breeze pulled the colorful leaves from the trees, providing the young kendoka with a beautiful view of the yard. She should have been happy, should have been pleased by the beauty of the scene before her as well as by the sword in her hands. But she really couldn't.

Though Ranma had admitted defeat in their duel and handed her the cursed blade, Motoko did not feel as though she'd won. In truth she hadn't. She'd lost to Naru.

"What's the saying… 'A penny for your thoughts'?"

Absently, the young kendoka turned towards the cross-dressing ninja.

"So," he said as he took in the cursed sword, "I see that you won."

"Yes, I did."

"You should be happy," he stated. "But you're obviously not."

"Ranma is currently dating Naru."

"Which one is Naru?" he asked, still trying to keep up with all the girls at the Hinata Sou.

The young maiden working the grill looked up. "She's the auburn haired one."

"Thank you Maehara-chan." The pleasant smile never left his face as he visualized the girl that his adopted brother was now dating. "So, how long have they been dating?"

"Since this past weekend," the young girl stated. "Technically since Sunday."

Only a few days of training under Ranma had done wonders for the girl. No longer was she the timid, shy girl that stood out only in the kitchen. Though still soft spoken, she now possessed a confidence that fortunately was not identical to Ranma's over-confidence that bordered on cockiness. It didn't help that he'd advanced her training to the point where she was now actually sparring with him, though he limited himself by wearing over 200 kg when he sparred against her. For the most part it had been Naru or Sara who had sparred with Shinobu though as they were much closer to her in regards to skill level.

Add in the fact that Shinobu now came to Ukyo for additional cooking training and the girl was now better than an average fighter who'd had a decade of training under their belts. None of the other residents of the Sou except Ranma dared to challenge her in the kitchen, though with her added time at Saotome's Grill it had fallen on Ranma, Keitaro, Mutsumi, Naru, and Kitsune to help prepare dinner over the course of the week.

"So he's been dating someone for nearly a week and he hasn't even bothered to stop in and let me know," Konatsu sighed. "I'm going to have to teach him some manners. Motoko, Shinobu, when you see my unclothe brother tell him to come here on Sunday with his girlfriend."

Motoko and Shinobu eyed each other, the younger of the two clearly unaware of the significance of the date.

"Sunday is when the customers can challenge each other to sparring matches or in some cases actual fights," Motoko explained.

"Only as long as the weather is good," Konatsu amended. "We open the patio tables and allow spectators to sit out there and allow anyone to practice or even settle things, so long as it's not lethal."

Shinobu nodded. The entire world of martial arts was still relatively new to her, but it was an exciting experience.

"It's a slow night," Konatsu added. "Why don't you two deliver that order then call it a night?"

Both girls nodded. The middle of the week was full of deliveries with the bulk of the business coming on the weekends as most of the regular clientele held down a regular job along with their training/dojos.

This particular order was roughly on their way home, though they would be forced to actually walk rather than take the train as the dojo in question was off the beaten path.

"I'll take this," Motoko insisted. "If we're going to run the entire way the food would get cold. I'm faster by myself."

Shinobu nodded in agreement. Though she'd improved significantly in the past week or so, she still wasn't at the level where she could leap from roof to roof like Ranma or even Motoko. "I'll go on ahead then."

Each girl took a different road as they parted ways – Motoko towards the client and Shinobu towards the train station. The long walk was actually fairly refreshing for the young maiden. The cool autumn air was growing colder with each moment as the sun set behind the mountains to the west. The day had been warm, but a sudden cold front had changed the temperature dramatically.

The long winding road through the park was normally quiet, but with the darkness and cooler weather it appeared to be completely vacant. It wasn't until a strong gust blew her skirt up that she realized the park wasn't as empty as she'd thought it was.

"Nice!"

"Dude, she's got black panties!"

For the first time in weeks the young girl blushed. She could do little to keep her short skirt from flapping in the wind. The same skirt had been useful when performing kicks and jumps, but did little to hide her modesty. _'At least I wasn't wearing the teddy bear print. I'd probably have died from embarrassment.'_

"Hey little lady," one of the boys behind her called out. "We can keep you warm."

Trying her best to ignore them, Shinobu picked up the pace, walking just a bit faster than she normally did. Though she was confident that she could handle herself, she knew that Ranma's personal philosophy regarding fighting was that it was best to avoid actual fighting.

"Hey! She's that girl!" a bald boy exclaimed. "Get the boss! He's going to want to have some fun with her!"

"Oh, her, one of those Hinata girls!"

"Not just one of those girls, she was there when we got beat up by that crazy martial artist."

'_Not good.'_ Disregarding her modesty, the young maiden suddenly broke into a sprint.

"Damn, she's fast!"

Not even bothering to look back at them, Shinobu eyed the long, winding road before her. The nearly empty park was now filled with local punks. From the look of their uniforms they were all from the local high school, thus a few years older than her.

'_I'm better than most fighters my age,'_ she thought, recalling the encouraging Ranma's assessment of her abilities. _'But there are six, no, eight of them. Not good. If they're just punks I should be able to take out half of them…'_

The cries from the delinquents quickly drew the attention of their comrades as more appeared before Shinobu.

'_If you ever get into a fight with thugs, anything goes,'_ she recalled Ranma telling her. The incident with the punks had proven that point. Even though she hadn't been able to keep up with what he'd done, she knew that he'd held back enough to not seriously injure them. Had she known as much about martial arts as he did she'd have realized that he'd been particularly brutal with them. Seeing several of the lot with their arms in casts though only reinforced the idea that anything goes when fighting punks.

A low spinning round house connected with the groin of the first punk that rushed her. A swift knee to the now bent over boy's head sent him flying into his closest companion.

Two quick steps was all that she was allowed as the punks slowly circled around her. Still, that was more than enough room to deliver a high front kick to the next punk to charge her. Using the momentum of her kick, she swung her leg back down then leaned forward, connecting with a mule kick to another boy's groin as he tried to sneak up on her from behind.

"Damn, girl can spread 'em!" one of the boys jeered. "No need to go easy on her boys!"

The bald boy was clearly the boss of the group. He'd been present the last time. Unfortunately Ranma wasn't around to help her this time.

'_Three down,_' she tallied, _'but there are over a dozen of them. I've got to keep some distance between them and me; my kicks are my best attack.'_

Slowly the remaining nine punks circled around her.

"Like I said boys," the boss declared, "no need to go easy on her."

As if to prove his point, the bald boss pulled out a lead pipe. The others quickly followed suit as they pulled out chains, bats, and brass knuckles.

"Wow! You guys must be pretty lame if it takes over a dozen of you to take down one girl," a new voice interjected.

Startled, several punks turned around to face the newcomer. The raven haired boy with wild hair wore the uniform of Hekikuu – her school.

With several punks distracted, Shinobu launched herself at the closest punk, connecting with a powerful kick to his jaw.

'_Anything goes,'_ she thought as she snatched up his bat. Spinning around, threw the bat at the closes pair of thugs. The sound of wood on flesh filled the air before twin cries of pain pierced the night.

A back elbow to a thug's stomach doubled him over, allowing her slam the back of her hand into his face. Grabbing hold of his neck she used the unfortunate punk as a projectile as she spun around and batted away more of his companions.

"Bitch!" the bald punk shouted as he charged her.

A swift kick to his hand knocked the pipe out of his hand. Using his weight he absorbed her follow up spinning back fist before tackling her. Falling down to the ground she wrapped her slender forearm under his chin, encircling his head. Kicking out she planted her feet into his gut, as she fell back, driving his head into the cement.

By the time she rolled the boss off of her the fight was over as her mysterious savior had managed to disable, knock out or chase off the remaining punks. Several bodies lay strewn over the ground with only one person standing up.

"Need a hand?" the boy in the Hekikuu uniform asked.

She nodded. "Thank you."

"You go to Kekikuu," he said.

Again Shinobu nodded. "You too."

"I haven't seen you before. What grade are you?"

"A year behind you," she replied as she brushed the dirt off of her skirt and blouse. "You're Onodera Kensaku, the biggest trouble maker in school."

Slightly taken aback, he smirked as he eyed he reappraised her. "You've got some moves. Kinda sloppy, but not bad. I can't imagine a girl like you is self taught, so how long have you been practicing?"

"Eight days," she replied. "You're stance suggests karate, but I've never seen that particular style."

"Self-taught," he replied. "We should probably get going before these guys wake up. Want me to walk you back?"

"Sure."

* * *

It had seemed like a good idea at the time, it really had. The facts all suggested that it was safer and wiser for her to allow him to walk her home. Not only had she not been able to handle all of the dozen or so thugs and punks, she'd been saved by him. By Ranma's general assessment that meant that Kensaku-sempai was better than her, and she was better than average. Alone she wouldn't be able to handle the punks again even if they were still recovering from their injuries.

"Shinobu!" Motoko cried out. The kendoka had been the first to see her current state of dress. That didn't bode well for Kensaku. As good as he was, he wasn't even close to being in Motoko's league.

"No!" Shinobu shouted as she leapt in the way of the impending attack.

"You're obviously distressed if you're trying to protect the scum that attacked you!" the kendoka shouted as she held her bokken at the ready.

"He didn't attack me," the young maiden proclaimed.

"Good thing too," Ranma added as he leapt out of his window. "Settle down Motoko."

"But!"

"Don't be so quick to judge," the master martial artist said calmly as he landed. "Kage, check him out."

The midnight black dog appeared out of nowhere, sniffing the startled boy and young maiden.

The two older martial artists watched as Kage rubbed his head against Shinobu's leg, signaling that she was alright.

"So," Ranma said as he walked towards his student, "what happened?"

"It was those punks that you beat up weeks ago," she explained. "They were in the park by the restaurant."

"I knew I should have walked back with you," the kendoka grumbled.

Shinobu shook her head, "No, you needed to deliver the order and I would have held you back."

"You've got blood on you," Ranma stated. "It's not yours.

"What's your name kid?"

"Onodera Kensaku," the young fighter replied.

"Thank you," Ranma said, offering a polite bow. "You really helped out my student."

"She's your student?" he asked, recalling how the man who appeared to be only slightly older than he was had leapt out of the second floor window and landed so easily.

Ranma nodded.

"Is it true that she's only been studying under you for just over a week?"

Ranma nodded again. "Girl's got talent. But she's only better than an average fighter. You look like you've been practicing for awhile – self-taught?"

"Yes!" Grateful to have someone recognize his ability.

"And he goes to our school!" Su exclaimed from a window on the third floor.

"Kaolla Su!" the boy exclaimed as he spotted the energetic blond. "She lives here too?"

"Number two trouble maker, meet number one trouble maker," Shinobu smirked.

"You know," Ranma said as he looked at his promising young student, "why don't you invite your boyfriend over to the restaurant on Sunday?"

Motoko and Shinobu froze.

"Shinobu's got a boyfriend!" Su announced to the other residents. "Shinobu brought a boyfriend home!"

The young maiden froze.

It had seemed like a good idea.

* * *

It'd been nearly ten years since she'd had such a good laugh. Come to think of it, she hadn't had a good laugh since Nerima. Well, before everything fell apart. Then again, Ranma had been gone for the past decade. But listening to Ranma's justification as to why he considered his new (and only) student to be 'better than average' was hilarious.

It provided some good levity considering what had happened the previous night. Fortunately things had worked out and Shinobu had gotten home safe and sound.

"What?" the indignant master martial artist protested as his childhood friend fought to stand up.

It didn't help that even Konatsu was laughing. But at least he had more control and wasn't shedding tears in laughter. After a few minutes, the cross-dresser was able to compose himself to the point that he wasn't laughing uncontrollably.

"Ranma," he gasped. "My dear little brother, why do you think she's 'better than average'?"

"Well, she's picked up the basics pretty quickly," Ranma explained. "She's never going to be able to pull of chi enhancements, not without some kinda fix or whatever. But skill wise, she's better than an average martial artist who can't use chi, at least those her age.

"But that was before I realized how good the martial artists of this age are," he ceded. "That guy is probably one of the best non-chi using fighters. He'd probably be able to beat Naru in a fight if it ever came to that, but she can use chi-enhancement to give her an edge, but she'd still lose."

Konatsu and Ukyo nodded.

"Shinobu's better than most who have had a year of training," Ukyo stated. "She's great in the kitchen, and you did good by having her start with her strengths, but she's far from 'average' when compared to fighters of her age."

Ranma sighed, accepting his sister-in-law's assessment.

"Average should be able to take out five or six fighters, which she did," Ranma explained. "Exceptional would be being able to take out the entire Hentai Horde."

"Hentai Horde?" Konatsu repeated.

"Oh yeah, that was before your time. Back when I first got to Nerima and Furinkan, Kuno declared that no one could ask Akane out unless they defeated her. Soon all the fighters and athletes in the school gathered every morning to attack her. It only stopped after I beat up Kuno and they recognized my engagement to the tomboy."

The two cross-dressers nodded.

"Akane's like Naru in that she can enhance her attacks with chi, I'm trying to get Shinobu to the point where she can defeat 50 guys without chi enhancement," Ranma added. "If she can get to that point she'll be an exceptional martial artist."

"So you're goal is to make her as good as Akane?" Ukyo asked.

Ranma shook his head. "I want her to be good enough to keep guys who want to force themselves on her from being able to get their way. The problem with Akane was that I always had to rescue her; and you and Shampoo whenever someone kidnapped you girls. But what if they had wanted to do something to you like those guys tried with Shinobu? I know Kuno always said that he wanted to take Akane and my girl side, but he even though he had opportunities, he never forced himself on us. The kids these days don't have that restraint or code of honor."

"You're just lucky no one caught you," Konatsu stated. "Those kids were seriously beat up. None of the injuries were enough for them to be hospitalized, but they won't be doing much terrorizing for a while.

"I know the police are just going to put it off as gang violence, and maybe as the local martial artists trying to clean up but even that makes them look at us differently. It's not like ten years ago where the community turned to the local martial artists to help maintain law and order."

"Times have changed," Ukyo added. "Technology's changed society. One of the reasons why the grill is doing well is because martial artists can find shelter here. Unfortunately there are lots of martial artists who turn into delinquents and just use their skills against anyone they think is weaker than them.

"And then there's the fact that martial artists can't start destructive fights in public like they used to. Then again, that kind of thing only happened in Nerima."

"Oh, that reminds me," Ranma muttered, "you guys wanted me to show up on Sunday?"

Konatsu nodded. "Good chance for you girlfriend to see just what you're capable of."

"Speaking of which," Ukyo interrupted, "you know you're going to have to tell her eventually."

The master martial artist sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

"You're coming, right?" his adopted brother asked. "It'll be a good chance for you to show what real martial artists can do."

The pigtailed immortal nodded. "I've got to go get the groceries for dinner tonight. Don't tell Shinobu I was here and if her new friend shows up give him something from me."

"After I give him something from us," Ukyo smirked. "Shinobu's good on the grill, and much better than Motoko in the kitchen."

"But Motoko's better on the floor working the tables," Konatsu pointed out. "And now that she's not an indebted to me and you, she's free to take challenges."

Ranma nodded.

"Did it feel good?" Konatsu asked.

Pausing at the door, Ranma sighed once again. "Yeah."

For a moment no one said anything. The gentle ticking of the wall mounted clock counted down the seconds, reminding everyone of the awkward silence.

"Is it wrong?" Ranma finally asked.

"Yes, and no," Ukyo replied. "You showed incredible restraint in not doing more harm after what they tried to do. Just be careful."

Ranma waved, not even bothering to look back. "See ya Sunday."

* * *

If felt good to let loose and get everything out of his system. That was why he loved the martial arts. Having spent much of the day answering various questions that Keitaro, Mutsumi, and Naru shot at him as he performed various kata and exercises he'd worked up a good sweat.

With Saturday's half day of classes over and her sift at the Grill over, Shinobu stood before him. Uncertainty was painted on her face as she noted that there were no props or kitchenware set up.

"Today," Ranma said, his voice even and completely collected as he eyed his pupil, "you learn your first official weapon."

Shinobu's response told him that she wasn't expecting this at all.

"Hold out your hands," he instructed.

Obediently she did so.

Calmly he set a steel yo-yo in each of her delicate hands.

"A yo-yo?"

As if to prove his point, Ranma produced another pair of yo-yos completely identical to the ones he'd placed in her palms. With a flick of the wrist he shattered a vase over five meters away. A second vase seven meters away to his left was shattered followed by one four meters behind him.

"That might be a bit too advanced for you right now," he stated as Shinobu realized just what had happened. "But anything can be used as a weapon, and this won't get you arrested and almost everyone is going to think you're just playing around."

The young girl nodded.

"But for now, you're going to learn"

"The basics," she finished.

"Right."

* * *

A slight pang of regret tugged at her conscience. It was an unusual feeling for Mutsumi, thus making it all the harder for her to identify the sensation. But watching as Naru and Keitaro interacted with the pigtailed martial artist, she understood what she was feeling.

As her fellow ronin shot questions at Ranma she knew she'd have to set things straight.

Her opportunity didn't arrive until Ranma was busy training Shinobu though, allowing the older girls an opportunity to soak in the onsen without any interruption.

"So," the ever inquisitive sly-eyed woman asked as she sauntered up to her longtime friend, "what are your plans for tonight?"

"I don't know what you mean," Naru replied, totally shrugging off the inquiry. "It's just a date."

"Sure," Kitsune teased as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

"Don't worry about her," Motoko interjected. "She's just waiting for you two to leave so that she can sneak into Ranma's room again and try to find those magic mushrooms."

"I wouldn't do that," Naru sighed. "I'm not going to change your diapers or walk you to the bathroom."

"You may not want to mother me, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind someone suckling these beauties," the vixen teased as she playfully squeezed the other woman's perky breasts.

Despite her best efforts Naru couldn't help but blush. "I don't know what you're talking about. But if I were you I wouldn't try snooping around in Ranma's room. He's obviously put up some deterrents for both you and Su."

"I'm happy for you," Mutsumi finally said. "I have to admit, I was wrong about Ranma. I didn't think he was good enough for you but I can see that he really makes you happy."

The other women eyed Mutsumi, each slightly surprised by the newest resident's admission.

"Thank you," Naru beamed. Breaking away from Kitsune she moved to embrace her fellow ronin.

"Speaking of dates," Kitsune smirked, "aren't you and Keitaro gone out tonight too?"

The voluptuous brunette smiled, not bothering to deny anything.

"Geeze, at least you're single still Motoko," the sly-eyed woman sighed, embracing the kendoka. "We need to go out and find us some good men to warm our beds."

The kendoka shuddered. "I've got other plans," she hastily replied.

"So you're going to be staying in all night?" Kitsune asked.

"Yes."

"Good! That means I can still go out and get sloshed."

The other women simply shook their heads in defeat as Kitsune embraced Naru and Mutsumi.

The vixen smiled victoriously. "You two can help me pick out a nice outfit for tonight."

* * *

"You're sure we should be doing this?" the usually outgoing and energetic blond asked, clearly skeptical of her companion's eccentric ideas.

"We know how they work now," the evil genius replied. "We've got mushrooms that will change us back once to our proper age, and we've got those fake ids. Besides, Shinobu's going to be practicing all night with Motoko, and it sounds like everyone is going to be going out. I've already programmed our mecha-versions to sit and play video games in my room - no one's going to notice. All we're going to do is slip out, take some mushrooms, and act like adults."

"And what do adults do that's so fun?"

The question caught Su off guard. Clearly Sara had never thought about those things before. Maybe that was the difference between their respective ages. As energetic as Sara was she was still a kid where as Su was a teen.

"Fine," she finally said, "you can stay. I'll just chase after Kitsune and go out with her."

Not wanting to be left behind by her partner in crime, Sara relented. "Fine. I'll go."

* * *

"So," Ranma said, as he shattered another target with his yo-yo, "tell me about Onoderu Kensaku."

Flustered, Shinobu missed handled one exchanged as she tried to switch both off-string freehand butterfly yo-yos. Then again, maybe it was the complexity of the trick as Shinobu hadn't been trained to be ambidextrous like he was. The seemingly simple act of catching the yo-yos was difficult for anyone that had never used an off-spring yo-yo. Trying to handle two of them at a time was even harder. Still, Shinobu had managed to learn to catch them once they reached the end of the string. Now she just had to manage switching the counterweights from one hand to the other.

With a flick of the wrist he knocked her yo-yo out of the air, allowing her to recover the one that she'd caught in her left hand before catching the other with her right.

"Um, Kensaku-sempai likes to fight," Shinobu stated. "He's the number two trouble maker at school because of the fights he gets into. He's not a delinquent, but he's always going out trying to prove how strong he is and he's got a reputation amongst the delinquents as someone not to mess with."

Ranma nodded.

"He's very…" Shinobu paused as she tried to find the right word to describe her savior, "concerned about being strong but doesn't balance it by developing his mind."

The pigtailed martial artist found himself smiling. "Sounds a lot like me when I was young and impressionable."

"And he smokes," Shinobu added, a slight bit of venom in her voice.

His smile still on his face, he waited until Shinobu wound her second yo-yo. Though he was pushing her to learn the basics of those particular types of yo-yos, he knew that he couldn't afford to let her work with just one at a time. "In your free time I want you to practice with the yo-yos," he instructed. "Alternate between using just your left and between using it in both until you get a good feel for it."

The obedient girl nodded.

"And practice outside," he added. "I'd rather not have you wrecking the pictures or walls. But remember, if you ever get into a fight, the yo-yos you're using now will only let you get two, maybe three hits in before you have to close in for hand to hand. If you're good you can recover the yo-yo and use it again, but if you can't catch it's gone. The strings can still be used, but against a mob it's not that great. The tied on yo-yos don't have the range that the off-string ones have, but they return to your hand. Remember with is which because if you grab the wrong one for the wrong situation you could be in trouble."

Again Shinobu nodded.

"I was wrong," Ranma stated. "My assessment of your abilities thus far is wrong."

The young maiden blinked.

"You're good, but you're not average when compared to other fighters your age. You're better than anyone with only a week of training, but you lack the physical conditioning to really last in a fight against someone your age that had training. If you're really serious about this than you'll need to do train with me in the mornings as well as continue training with Konatsu and Ukyo."

"Thank you," Shinobu replied with a bow.

Ranma shook his head, "Don't thank me yet."

* * *

For the longest time Keitaro had one thing that he treasured more than anything else. The small photo album had displayed pictures that he'd had taken in various photo booths, all but one of them had been taken alone. It had been the most treasured picture for over a year. Slowly he'd added to that picture though, adding pictures that contained him and Mutsumi during their first date. Looking at the pictures in his hand now though he knew he'd have to start a new photo album.

"Oh my," Mutsumi exclaimed. "What an amusing face to make."

The ronin blushed. "I wouldn't have been making that face if you hadn't been doing that to me," he replied as he pointed to another picture.

Plucking the string of pictures out of his hand, Mutsumi smiled. "There's no evidence that I was doing anything to you."

Zipping up, he playfully chased after her as she led him towards another photo booth. "If you want these you'll have to come get them."

He watched as she carefully positioned the pictures between her ample breasts and down her blouse. A mad grin on his face, he put money into the machine before following after her and closing the curtain. Rather than going down her blouse he pulled it out of her skirt, exposing her white, lacy bra and creamy skin to the camera. Pinning her arms over her head he extracted the evidence from her bra, skillfully unlatching the front of her bra to reveal her perky breasts and ever so tempting nipples.

She'd worked him over in the previous booth, making it painfully obvious that he was turned on. Now it was his turn to return the favor as he played with her breasts with his lips, allowing him to use one hand to pin her arms down even as his other hiked up her skirt. He could practically taste her excitement even as he massaged her ass with his right. Releasing her hands, he pressed her against the side of the booth.

Her eager hands quickly unzipped his pants, pulling his pants and boxers down to his mid-thigh. Her long, slender legs hooked around his hips as he pulled her panties to the side.

"Condom," she whispered.

He gulped, cooling off just long enough for her to fish in his pocket for the condoms he'd just purchased. Her slender fingers quickly and expertly worked their magic, teasing him even as she put the condom on him. Needing no other prompting, he plunged inside of his lover. Their passions ignited, the two ronin matched each other thrust for thrust and they both sought release for their carnal pleasures.

Mutsumi's grunt/moan signaled that she'd climaxed. The excited man thrust into her several times before grunting with satisfaction as he came.

Panting, he smiled at her.

A gentle yet passionate kiss rewarded him for his efforts.

"I'm definitely going to have to start a new photo book," he panted.

"Hmm," the voluptuous woman purred. "That was quick."

"Sorry," he grumbled.

"No," she said, kissing him again. "It was good."

He could only smile as he set her down. Extracting himself from her he quickly removed the used item before wiping himself clean then offered her the soiled cloth. It only took a moment for them to clean up and fix their clothes.

A quick glance at his watch told him that they still had plenty of time before their dinner reservation and considering how quickly things had been he wondered if he could get it up again. Exiting the booth, he picked up the pictures, grateful that no one had been around to overhear or observe their moment of intimacy.

"Wanna try again?" he suggested as he spotted another photo booth further down the street. He'd thought that being over a year younger would have improved his stamina, but sadly that hadn't been true. Then again, before Ranma came and started to train him. Being de-aged and then aged back to a younger age had robbed him of his physical durability and stamina. Robbed of several months of hardy training, Keitaro was trapped in his wimpy 19 year old body.

Fortunately it had done the same to Mutsumi. The thought sent a tingle of anticipation through his body as he licked his lips at the thought of all he and Mutsumi were capable of doing. Wait, if it had restored Mutsumi to her 19 year old body, that meant that that last time she'd been a virgin… he'd taken her virginity twice. A stupid grin formed on his face.

The voluptuous woman smiled before kissing him on the cheek. "Is that all you think about?" she teased.

"No," he replied. "As you well know I think a lot about getting into Todai. But now that you mention it – Mutsumi!"

The busty woman slumped over as she endured another fainting/near-death spell.

Resigned to his fate, Keitaro lifted the voluptuous woman in his arms. Their date apparently over, he set off for the Hinata Sou.

* * *

"They're too small," Sara remarked as she eyed the handful of mushrooms her accomplice had grown. With all the lush trees and plants in Su's room, few would have noticed the magical mushrooms that now grew in a dark corner of the exotic girl's room.

"At this rate we won't be able to grow up for another month," the evil genius scowled. "If you hadn't given those mushrooms to Ranma we could have gone out as adults this weekend."

The sudden silent alarm caught both girls' attention as an image appeared on the monitor. "Keitaro's back," Su proclaimed.

"Looks like watermelon lady's passed out again," Sara observed as she noted how Keitaro was carrying the Mutsumi.

"It doesn't matter," Su stated. "No one ever comes in here. We'll just have to wait to be adults."

* * *

"You're back already?" Kitsune asked as she spotted the dorm manager's head cresting the stairs. "I was just – she fainted again?"

Keitaro nodded.

Even from several meters away Kitsune could smell the scent of their combined bodily fluids and sex. _'Girl's exerting herself too much.'_ "She'll probably wake up in a little bit."

"Yeah," Keitaro nodded. "I didn't see her spirit trying to leave like normal."

Slightly relieved, and just a bit turned on by the thought of Keitaro and Mutsumi having sex, Kitsune steeled her resolve as she committed to going out and getting some. _'It's been so long.'_ "Well, I'll be seeing you in the morning."

* * *

"Wow," Naru panted as Ranma collapsed into the bed beside her.

His heart racing as though he'd been fighting for several hours straight, Ranma labored for breath. With his conditioning and physical prowess it amazed him that thirty minutes of strenuous but enjoyable activity could get his blood pumping so hard.

"Hmmm," his lover purred.

Together they lay there, their hearts and bodies seemingly one, each savoring the intimacy that they shared.

Unlike their last visit to a love hotel, both of them had read over the contract, making sure that there were no special clauses such as hidden video cameras that recorded everything. The corner room was perhaps seven meters by six meters with a nice view of the mountain, not that they were there to enjoy the view out the window.

The moment they crossed the threshold of the room they young lovers were virtually inseparable save for pulling apart to remove each others' clothing.

"I hope these walls are sound proofed," Ranma teased as he kissed her, tasting her salty sweat as he did so.

The auburn beauty kissed him back, taking a moment to playfully punch him. "We've still got time before we have to get back – wanna test the walls again?"

* * *

The surprisingly warm autumn day greeted the quartet as they set off for _Saotome's Grill_. For some of them the previous night had been restful, but for others of the group it had been anything but. Still, Ranma couldn't help but have a bit of spring in his step, but it wasn't the prospect of a good fight that energized him.

The thought of being able to see how his lone student faired against martial artists interested him. Though she'd only studied under him for less than two weeks he could tell that she had improved significantly. It really was one thing for Shinobu to spar against Motoko, Sara or Su, but another thing altogether for her to face fighters whose skill levels and styles were unknown.

This would be a good test of her ability and to see how he'd have to adjust her training regimen. This would be his first true test as a sensei.

The early afternoon flew by as three of the four Hinata Sou residents helped with the service. After only an hour the first challenge came as Konatsu nodded at his adopted brother.

The patio tables were each occupied though far from full. Still, all eyes were on the two Saotomes as they entered the ring from opposite ends.

"First knock down," the adopted Saotome stated.

Ranma nodded. "Or Ring Out."

"Agreed."

The two exchanged a formal bow before standing back up again.

A blindingly quick punch from the older and taller brother opened the bout as Konatsu initiated the action. An equally quick kick answered, forcing Konatsu to break off his attack as he leapt out of harm's way.

Ranma allowed Konatsu a second to land and then set his feet even as he considered his own strategy and tactics.

Cautiously Konatsu moved in, centimeter by centimeter. The agonizingly slow approach only helped to build more tension and suspense for those watching the bout.

Suddenly a flurry of blows and counters filled the space between the two Saotomes, leaving everyone guessing as to who initiated the exchange. Kicks, punches, elbows, and knees were thrown at incredible speeds. Ground was given and taken by both men as they gave or gained ground while seeking to gain the advantage.

"They're so fast," an astonished Shinobu remarked. Though she knew that Ranma was a certified master of the martial arts, she'd never realized what he was capable of.

"He's trained since he could walk," Ukyo said proudly. "Almost every waking moment of his life since then has been dedicated to the art."

For a moment the old Shinobu appeared as the shy, timid, and unconfident girl watched the display of inhuman ability. "I… I…"

"You can," said the proud martial artist. "You may not reach those speeds or attain that level of skill, but Ranma wouldn't have taken you as a student if he didn't believe in you."

For the first time since she'd asked Ranma to instruct her she realized the gravity of her situation.

"Holy shit."

Both Shinobu and Ukyo turned towards the clearly overwhelmed Onodera Kensaku.

"You must be Kensaku," said Ukyo with a smile. "Thank you for assisting Shinobu."

Speechless, he simply nodded, his attention and focus still on the unimaginable bout occurring before him. "That's your sensei?"

"And his older brother," Shinobu added. "He's also the owner of the restaurant."

"Co-owner," Ukyo corrected. "He's my husband."

The boy with unkempt hair nodded, his mind slowly processing the information.

"Of course Ranma and Konatsu will want to see how good you are," chimed Motoko. "Saotome-sempai, there are more customers at the grill."

"Thank you Motoko," said the older woman. "I'll see to them immediately. My, what a young crowd we have today."

The others scanned the patio, noting that there were many young fighters on hand.

"I would think that their display would inspire the youth of today to greater heights in their own training."

Applause filled the outdoor patio as the gathered patrons showed their appreciation for the magnificent and awe-inspiring bout as Konatsu stepped back into the ring.

"You're still amazingly fast."

"You've gotten pretty quick too," the younger Saotome smiled. "And you've got reach on me. I got lucky, that's all."

The unusual display of modesty brought a sad smile to Ukyo's face. "I should tend to the other customers."

* * *

Never in her short life had she felt more terrified. Standing in the make-shift ring, she knew that virtually every eye was on her as she stood across from her first opponent. The tall girl before her was older than she was, though only by a few years. Her lean but muscular build suggested that she was an athlete of sorts.

"First to three points wins," Ranma declared. "Points are awarded for knock down or ring out."

Both girls nodded.

"Begin!"

The darker skinned girl rushed in with a standard straight right karate punch.

Instinctively Shinobu leapt back even as she kicked the girl in the stomach. The blow did little damage though it did disrupt the older girl's stance, providing the younger girl with an opening. Unfortunately the inexperienced Shinobu failed to follow up as she backed away.

For a moment both girls eyed each other – one gauging the other's ability and the other simply waiting to react. Finally the high school girl moved in with another straight punch. Shinobu simply dodged, giving up more ground as she did so. Slowly the older girl pressed her back as she continued her assault, pushing Shinobu closer and closer to the edge of the ring with each attack. Finally the young, inexperienced fighter stood on the verge of exiting the area. A swift middle kick from the taller girl would have chased the younger girl out, but at the last moment Shinobu spun to her side, catching the other fighter's outstretched leg. With a bit of leverage and using the girl's momentum against her Shinobu threw the girl out of the ring.

"Point!"

Still on her feet, the older girl nodded before returning to the starting position.

"Begin!"

Again the older girl took the initiative, rushing in with feint straight punch that set up a high front kick. With surprising speed Shinobu dodged the punch then spun to her right (her opponent's left) connecting with a sweep that robbed the karate girl of her only support.

"Point, match!" Ranma declared happily.

Assisting the other girl to her feet, Shinobu beamed.

"Thank you," both girls said in unison as they exchanged formal bows.

"Your first win," Ranma stated. "But you've got a long ways to go."

Shinobu nodded.

Between waiting tables and working the grill, she would have nine competitive spars, going 3-6 on the day, but 3-4 against opponents with in her age range.

She couldn't help but smile as she walked home. The loses had been humbling, but they had also renewed her desire to continue learning.

"Not bad," said Ranma. "But not really that impressive."

"She's only had a week to study under you, cut her some slack," interjected Naru.

"Oh, she did good," the pigtailed master stated. "But her opponents were unimaginative. They used standard combos and were pretty sloppy themselves. You're still not fast enough with your kicks, though your hand speed is good once you get inside, but still lack the power to drop an opponent. Don't learn from your victories, learn from your defeats. That way you realize your weakness so that you can correct them. You know your strengths and can always work on those in the course of regular training, but what you've got to do is also improve on your weaknesses."

The young maiden nodded, accepting her sensei's advice. Though she may never reach the level that he was currently at, Shinobu knew that she couldn't go back to being the timid and shy girl she'd once been. The only way for her to be better was to push and challenge herself.

With only a week of training under her belt, she still had a long ways to go.

* * *

Never in his life had he ever felt so frustrated. Though he knew that Shinobu was just a beginner in the art, the prideful martial arts master couldn't help but wonder how good she could be if she were to dedicate herself completely to the art. True, even if she had started at a very young age she was unlikely to reach the level he'd been at, but still, he wanted her to be better.

He'd been wrong in his assessment of her ability and talent. She wasn't better than average, she was better than the average beginner, but then again, few martial artists started training this late in life.

A deep, calming breath helped him to wash away his frustration. It was his responsibility as her sensei to get her to improve as a martial artist. He'd accepted her knowing her limitations. He'd been wrong to try and show her so many different styles when she clearly wasn't ready for them.

'_Play to her strengths,'_ he thought. _'Play to her strengths.'_

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave it there for now. Shorter, but easier to follow should work.

Dreamingfox


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Notes –

Hmmm…. Watching the Harry Potter films on TV, with exclusive scenes from the new movie. I got my tickets for next weekend, and I've been reading more than I should. Too bad the Packers aren't on bye next weekend.

* * *

The soothing hot waters of the hot spring eased the pain in her aching muscles, allowing her to temporarily forget the harsh training that she had endured under Ranma's tutelage. After her first Sunday at the restaurant she'd anticipated an increased training regimen but her expectations had paled to the reality.

Though Ranma did not believe in weight training, he did believe in working her hard. Long hours of training were manageable only because Naru added her in completing her homework, shouting out the questions while Shinobu responded, all the while enduring the physical training.

A strict diet allowed her to build the necessary muscle while not giving up on her blossoming curves as she continued to grow into her body.

But it was the gentle, almost affectionate massage that Shinobu secretly looked forward to. It had started the very day that the intense training had begun. The feel of his strong, skilled fingers, hands, forearms, and elbows pressing against her flesh made her wonder how he knew so much about the human body. It wasn't just the knowledge of a master martial artist knowing how or where to strike an opponent's body, it was a deeper, almost carnal knowledge of the muscles and nerves. Perhaps that was something he'd explored with Naru-sempai.

She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the older, bustier woman.

Her own love life had faltered even before it began, though Ranma still teased her about Kensaku. The problem was not that Kensaku wasn't strong; it was that the boy was a dunce who couldn't see past his physical ability. Though he aspired to be a strong man, it was clear to everyone who knew them both that he would never be in Ranma's league. And then there was the fact that he smoked.

The first time he'd tried to kiss her he reeked so much of cigarette smoke and ash that Shinobu had inadvertently head butted him, breaking the mood of the moment.

And then Kensaku had moved on, his sights set on a busty blond wrestler. Still, Shinobu was glad for the brief relationship. If nothing else, it showed her that there were other men in the vein of Ranma and Keitaro. Unfortunately most of the boys her age were too immature for her tastes.

Her relaxing soak over, she stood up. The frigid air felt refreshing as it collided with hot water dripping off of her body. Rushing into the changing/dressing room, she could hear the first drops of rain as they hit the ground.

With her towel draped over her slight, slender body, she rushed up to her room. Normally she would have dried off completely and dressed before heading up to Ranma's room, but with Kitsune off on another job, Sara and Su out with Seta and Haruka, the young maiden felt free to rush up the stairs in just her towel. Both Naru and Mutsumi were gone as the two woman had found seasonal work in town to earn extra money for the quickly approaching holidays. Given the hour, it would be a while before either one returned from their part-time jobs.

The tender and attentive massages were the highlight of her training sessions as Ranma explained the theory behind the various techniques he was teaching her, pointing out her flaws or praising her for her accomplishments. If Motoko were present she might offer her own insight on the sparring and training as well, though she often waited until Ranma asked for her advice.

After nearly two months of the intense training she'd improved, though she wasn't sure by how much. Her current record for her sparring matches at the grill was less than spectacular at 41-63, but the past Sunday had been her first .500 day as she'd gone 6-6 against other fighters her age. It didn't help that Martial Arts Cooking wasn't really a combat art. Then again Martial Arts eating and tea ceremony weren't either.

The pounding rain though threatened her chances for the morrow. The grill had been fortunate to have good weather the past two months, but with winter creeping ever closer it didn't look like she would be able to even her overall record before the end of the year.

Reaching her sensei's room, she was surprised to find Motoko present. Normally Naru would sit in on the massages if she wasn't working, though lately she'd been working almost every night. The kendoka's presence though was most likely because she still didn't like the fact that he was pushing Shinobu so hard and had taken it upon himself to massage her ever night after their training sessions. Then again, the fact that Shinobu was basically naked except for the towel that she used to cover her firm and now shapely buttocks could have had something to do with it.

Though she sat in the room, she rarely said anything unless it was to question Ranma about something he said or about a question she was having difficulty with on the exam or text books.

With his back to the two women, Ranma stood by his bookshelf, waiting for Shinobu.

Sliding the door closed, pulled the towel off before laying down on the mat. With Motoko's assistance she covered her rear.

A quick glance at her sensei was all she needed to see that he was tending to his small crop of mushrooms before lighting the scented candles. Despite her curiosity, Shinobu focused on his voice as he walked over to her. As always he straddled her thighs/buttocks, leaning forward to gently press on her bare back and shoulders.

'_I wonder if sempai does this with Mutsumi?'_

Slightly aroused at the thought of his groin pressing against her nearly bare bottom, Shinobu took a calming breath as he began to point out the flaws in her technique. Had it been Keitaro she probably wouldn't have been able to control herself.

The sound of gentle scribbling as pen met paper reached her delicate ears, drowning out the sound of the rain drops against the window pane and siding.

Her old self would have been too embarrassed by the situation. But this Shinobu didn't mind. It wasn't as though Ranma straddling her was sexual in nature. He'd explained that his sometimes not so gentle ministrations were to help her muscles and body adapt to the rigors of her strenuous training.

"You're spoiling her," Motoko grumbled as she read through her textbook.

"She's my only student," remarked Ranma, "I can afford to spoil her for now."

Shinobu could feel the slight twitch of a smile despite her best efforts to refrain from doing so. Still, she couldn't help but be thankful that Motoko was not looking at her. With the only artificial light in the room behind the older girl, Motoko tried to focus on the book in her hands.

The sound of the pouring rain filled the void as for once Ranma did not discuss her training. For twenty minutes he worked on her back and shoulders gently. Only the strange pokes and pinches at seemingly random places breaking the seemingly monotonous flow of the massage. For another twenty minutes he worked on the back of her legs, attentively massaging her limber legs.

"Why do you do that?" Shinobu asked as Ranma pinched her above the knee.

"Pressure points," he replied. "Your body's finally strong enough that I can start to manipulate your pressure points."

Both women nodded. Though Motoko was far more familiar with the supernatural, Shinobu's recent experience with the magical mushrooms that Ranma grew had taught her that sometimes things couldn't be explained by science. If something like that existed, who knew what other manor of magical or mystic lore actually existed.

Her curiosity got the better of her at the thought of the supernatural fungus. "Sensei," she found herself saying, "you're supposed to be older than Naru-sempai and even Mutsumi-sama, but you look no older than Motoko-sama. Is that because you took a mushroom?"

"Yes," Ranma replied. It was a half-truth, but truth enough to slip by the others. Motoko knew well enough to not say anything, burying her face behind her book instead.

The sudden loss of light from the one lamp was enough of a distraction to keep them from probing any further.

"We've lost power!" Keitaro shouted from his room. "I'm going to check the generator."

"Give me a minute," Ranma stated as he resumed the massage.

"The pressure points I've hit should help you recover from the training. You won't be as sore, but you'll need to eat more lean protein," he explained as he finished the massage. "Apply the ointment and you should be done."

Springing to his feet, Ranma swiftly exited the room, closing the door behind him to give Shinobu the privacy she needed.

By the time he reached the stairs Ranma could hear the noticeable difference in the precipitation. Gone was the familiar sound of cold, hard rain pounding the building's siding. The almost eerie silence combined with the unusual darkness greeted the two men as they reached the stairwell. Glancing outside they understood why it was so quiet.

"Snow," volunteered Keitaro.

"Not good," Ranma grumbled. "It was raining pretty heavy for awhile there. If it's cold enough to snow than the rain might freeze."

Both men nodded at the exchange, rushing down to the generator. It didn't take long for them to get it going, restoring power to the Hinata Sou.

"We should check the roof," Ranma insisted. "The grading is low enough that freezing rain and snow could pile up quickly."

Keitaro nodded.

The two men rushed up to the roof, ignoring the weather even as they went to check the condition of the roof. Blustery wind and crystallized water greeted them as the early winter storm raged. Unrelenting as it was, the men knew that they needed to clear the flattest segments of the vast roof. Skilled as they were, the two men were able to navigate the roof without incident. Finding nothing, they retreated to the relative warmth of the stairwell as quickly as possible.

"Nothing built up," Keitaro reported.

Ranma nodded. "If this keeps up we'll have to check in the morning."

The now shivering ronin nodded.

Having taken the Phoenix Pill over a decade ago, Ranma had taken for granted his resilience when dealing with heat and cold. Unfortunately Keitaro lacked his fortitude.

"Achoo!"

The pigtailed immortal turned to his companion.

"That's not good," stated Keitaro as he shook his head. "I probably shouldn't have gone out there like this."

"You're soaked through!" the young maiden shouted as approached them. "You both need to get out of your clothes and into something warm."

Admonished, the two men marched down to their respective rooms, slowly peeling off their wet shirts so as not to leave a mess as they did so.

Even from his room Ranma could hear the other man sniffling and sneezing, a sure sign at he was coming down with something.

"I'll get a radio," Motoko stated as she exited his room.

Alone in his room, Ranma quickly stripped before drying himself off and then dressing in another outfit. A gentle buzzing reminded him that he wasn't truly alone though as he turned towards his oft-forgotten cell phone. "Hello?"

"Ranma," Naru called out. "How's the weather there?"

"The Sou's lost power, but Keitaro and I got the generator up. How is it there?"

"Not good," Naru replied. "We missed the last train so we got a room for the night."

The pigtailed man smiled, "Just don't let Mutsumi seduce you."

"Ha ha."

Though that incident had been months ago, Ranma had taken it much better than Naru had expected. Then again, Ranma was always the more laid back person.

"Well, if you really want to, that's fine," he added, teasing his lover. "I'm sure Keitaro and I would love to see that!"

"Pervert! Just make sure you don't molest Shinobu while I'm away."

"Hey, that's a teacher-student relationship… wait, never mind," he teased. "I'm not that kind of teacher."

"Ha ha," she replied. "Just make sure you don't do anything stupid or perverted."

"I won't. You don't have to worry about me."

"ACHOO!"

"Tell Mutsumi that Keitaro's coming down with something. We'll try to take care of him for now."

"Okay. Bye."

"Later."

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Sempai, you should drink some hot tea," suggested the young maiden.

"I think he's drank enough tea," Motoko said evenly as she eyed the sickly male. "Both of you were out there, why aren't you sick too?"

"I'm made of sterner stuff," laughed Ranma. "But it might have to do with the fact that I'm more resistant to heat and cold."

Everyone eyed him. "I ate a magical pill."

"First magic mushrooms, now magical pills?" Shinobu remarked.

Ranma glanced around the room. "Well…"

"Achoo!"

The kendoka eyed him.

"There's a lot more out there," he said, pulling up short on telling her about his immortality.

"Achoo!"

"Oh no, are you getting sick too?" Shinobu asked as she turned to the kendoka.

"No," Motoko replied. "I'll be alright. I'm just going to take a bath and clean up."

"I'll take care of Keitaro, why don't you heat up some more water?" Ranma suggested.

Shinobu nodded, rushing off towards the kitchen.

"Come on," Ranma grumbled, slipping his arm under the other man's arm and supporting his weight.

It didn't take long to carry the sick ronin up to his room. Stripping the other man down to his boxers, Ranma wrapped the other man up in his blankets.

White snow flew by the window, reminding the immortal of the storm outside. The howling wind and the sound of hard snowflakes hitting the side of the building filled the silence.

"Ranma-sempai," Shinobu called out in her gentle voice, announcing her presence, "would you like some tea?"

"Sure."

"Is Keitaro going to be alright?"

Ranma sighed. "He's just sick. He should be fine, but he needs to stay warm."

The young maiden nodded.

"I'd put more blankets on him, but I don't want to suffocate him," he explained.

"Shinobu, Ranma," the kendoka greeted as she stood behind the smaller girl. "Ranma, I think we should go around the Sou and turn off all unnecessary appliances."

The master martial artist nodded, noting the slight pallor in the girl's complexion. "Watch over him, make sure he stays warm."

The two walked together, leaving the young maiden and her first crush together. It wasn't until Shinobu was well out of hearing that Motoko finally spoke up.

"You were contemplating telling her," stated the kendoka.

Turning off the lights Ranma continued down the hallway. "She's my student. She'll learn sooner or later."

"She's not part of the magical community, the Magical Association could turn her into an ermine if you expose the truth. You might be immune to the transformation spell but she isn't."

"She's my student," Ranma stated. "She has a right to know. Besides, I'm sure that she wouldn't do anything stupid to spread the existence of magic. Even Kitsune knows better than to spread things around and she's the most unreliable and untrustworthy one of the group."

"You trust Shinobu more than Naru?"

The question hit him like Akane slapping him in the face. "Shinobu should be protected her relationship with me," he finally answered. "Naru's not so fortunate."

"Would you not fight for her then?"

"Of course I would," he hissed.

"Do you love her?"

Now slightly irritated, Ranma refused to look at the girl beside him.

"She's my friend," Motoko declared. "As are you. I do not wish to see either of you hurt from this."

For a moment he paused, picking his words carefully. "Are you inferring that our relationship is destined for failure?"

"Of course. You're cursed! Do you think that she would be content to live a life with a man who'd never age while she grows old? You might be able to restore her youth, but eventually she'd want something more than what you can give her. She might be willing to forgo having children now, but some day she'll want to have them. And the fact that you're always going to appear to be 17 or so will eventually make her wonder about her own looks and if she can keep up with the younger women that you're more than likely to encounter."

His temper slightly aggravated, Ranma couldn't help but snap back. "Are you voicing your own fears; simply projecting them onto Naru, or do you think that she would be feeling and thinking the same things if she knew? Or is this what you think your sister is afraid that you'll have to endure if you ever fell in love with me?"

Taken back by the bitterness in his voice and the ferocity of his verbal assault, Motoko could only stare at Ranma, unable to articulate her thoughts clearly.

"No, she's not afraid of that," Motoko replied. "She wants me to produce an heir and to take over the Shinmeiryu. But that's not what I want."

"What do you want then?" he asked, turning to face her for the first time.

She didn't know why, but she knew that she couldn't properly articulate all that she wanted. Words just couldn't slip past her lips, not without sounding bitter and jaded. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of the master martial artist, pulling herself to him and looking into his piercing blue eyes. "I want you to be honest with her."

* * *

For much of the past year the young maiden had crushed on the slumbering, sickly man laying on the ground before her. Things had slowly changed with Ranma's arrival. Unfortunately the timid girl that she had been at the time couldn't, wouldn't do anything to make the most of the opportunity that Ranma's presence had created. With the other girls scrambling and vying for either the manager's attention or the attention of the new male, the overly self-conscious girl had done nothing.

Thus Keitaro had begun to date Mutsumi, secretly at first, though eventually they had made their relationship public. The fact that he had ended up with the relatively unknown woman (whom Keitaro and Naru had met once before) had stunned the female residents of the Hinata Sou. For the longest time the various girls had secretly rooted for Naru to eventually get over her apparent dislike of the dorm manager, though they all secretly desired him as well.

Yet Naru had ended up in the arms of the very manly Ranma. It was a surprise to everyone who knew her, though the more one knew Naru, the more surprised they were considering her previous taste in men.

Though both couples hid it well, it was common knowledge amongst the other residents that each couple had an intimate relationship. The long dates that Ranma and Naru went on were more discrete than the sudden disappearances that Keitaro and Mutsumi had.

A look of forlorn longing on her face, the young maiden eyed her first crush. Seeing him shiver, she touched his sweat covered forehead. Though he had a fever, Ranma had instructed her to keep him warm. Still, Keitaro was cold.

Rushing into Ranma's room, she hoped that he wouldn't mind doing with one or two blankets less. Seeing that he'd already resorted to that measure, she scanned his room for something that could be useful.

Her keen eyes found the small crop of mushrooms that her sensei grew.

"The best way to keep someone warm is to crawl into bed with them naked," she muttered, recalling Kitsune's drunken advice.

The old her would have blushed at the prospect of doing something so… immodest. But as she was she couldn't really warm him, could she?

Unsure how long Ranma and Motoko would be gone, she walked over to the mushrooms. Selecting one that was roughly 20 cm, she plucked it and a shorter one. Consuming the magical mushroom, she felt her body increase as five, possibly six years of growth occurred instantaneously. The loose sweater that she was wearing was now constricting her formerly budding breasts. The modest skirt that had come down past her knees were now at her mid-thigh.

Marching out of Ranma's room, she closed the door before returning to Keitaro's room. Stripping off her now undersized clothes she quickly slipped under the pile of thick, warm blankets. The feel of hot, calmy flesh against her own sent a shiver of pleasure up her spine.

Wrapping her long, slender arms around Keitaro, she pressed her now full breasts against his back. Draping a leg over his, she made sure to press as much of her own skin against his.

"Naru…" the delusional man muttered.

Shinobu froze. _'Naru? Why is he calling out for Naru?'_

* * *

Martial artists were supposed to be paragons of control and virtue. Unfortunately most of the old masters that he'd known were anything but. Happosai had been a perverted letch, the old crone had been a self-serving bitch capable of stooping to murder and poison, his old man had even been a thief and lazy lout, and even Mr. Tendo had allowed his skills to waste away in grief. Unfortunately Ranma had those unsavory examples to guide him.

No wonder he was feeling a bit put off by his recent confrontation with Motoko.

True, the kendoka had a point, but as with anything and everything, it was much easier to say something than to actually go about and backing those words up.

Still, Ranma knew what he needed to do, all he had to do was work up the courage to actually do it.

* * *

"I love you," the handsome martial artist declared. His muscular arms easily swept the ronin off her feet as he pulled her to him.

His piercing blue eyes stared into her soul, igniting the long dormant passions in her heart and rousing her soul. A fierce kiss melted away the last of her doubts.

Their passions denied for so long, neither warrior allowed their clothes to hinder their affections. The sound of cloth being forcibly torn was lost to both of them as the two focused only on each other.

Her hand moved to handle his sword…

Motoko paused as she reached the bottom of the page.

'_What the hell am I doing?'_

Retreating back to her room after her confrontation with Ranma, she'd tried to finish her classical Japanese literature assignment but had found herself writing this, this, trash.

Reading what she'd written, she tried to deny that she'd been aroused by her own righting. But it wasn't just the writings but the fact that she'd written about Ranma and herself.

She'd tried to admit her feelings to him, tried to convince him to be honest with Naru, but in truth she hadn't been honest with him. Yes, she'd told him that she loved him, but that was months ago. Despite her admission he was still with a woman that he couldn't even say he loved and who in turn had not been able to tell him that she loved him.

"Argh!" she cried out, ripping the page out of the notebook. As much as she may have wanted to throw the page away, she found herself placing the page in a special folder.

* * *

A gentle nuzzling woke the sleeping maiden. Blinking away the sleepiness she tried to focus on the hand currently groping her. She'd started the night on her side with her newly developed breasts pressed to his back, but now she was laying on her back with a weight on her right side.

'I must have fallen asleep,' she surmised. 'Is that…' Cautiously, she reached down, touching the thing that was poking into her thigh. 'It is.'

A wave of excitement ran through her body at the thought of having that so close to her. Unbeknownst to her, the transformation into an older body was muddling her mind the young teenager was assaulted by the hormones of her newly adult body.

Her long, slender fingers found themselves latched onto his erect member, gently stroking it to life even as her other hand snaked down to her own private parts. The feel of her course, curly hairs, hairs she hadn't had just hours ago, sent another tingle of excitement through her.

"Hmmm," moaned the unconscious man. Slowly he shifted his weight so that he was now on top of her. One hand found her left breast while his eager mouth clamped down on her right nipple.

A pleasureful tremor caused her body to shudder as he touched her oh so sensitive nipples.

His weight shifted, she could feel his thing pressing against her other set of lips. Panting, she let the sleeping and delirious man continue his unconscious ministrations.

"Naru."

'_This isn't right.'_

Yet she couldn't stop. She could smell her own juices as she slipped her own finger into her now fully developed womanhood, the warm, sticky fluid greeted her finger as she found her clit. Though she was only 14, she'd long since learned to pleasure herself. Overhearing the other girls at school talking about things they'd done or reading from various hentai manga and dojinshi she knew roughly how to stimulate a man.

Though she couldn't see it now, she had seen Keitaro's thing before on the very first day she'd encountered him. Though her hands had grown (along with other parts of her body) she could tell that his thing had grown as well, an obvious sign that he was also aroused.

"Hmmmm." A gentle moan escaped his lips as hot breath caressed her now sweaty breast.

The sound of her heart pounding as it pumped liters of blood through her body filled her ears.

"Mmmm," she groaned as she orgasmed.

Her body trembling, she felt Keitaro shift his weight again so that he was now completely on top of her and between her legs.

Not wanting to wake him up, she extracted her hands from their respective organs only to have him press the head of his thing against her swollen lips.

'_No!' _

As gently as she could, she pushed him off of her. Though he resisted, Keitaro was still sleeping and not in complete control of his own body. Rolling him onto his side so that she was once again pressing her breasts to his back, she grabbed hold of his hard cock. Gently she massaged his balls with one hand even as she slipped several fingers into her wet pussy. Using her own juices she lubricated his cock before she resumed her gentle ministrations.

Her hand firmly wrapped around him she stroked him until he finally shot his load.

"Naru… oh…"

'He still loves her even though he's with Mutsumi.'

A pang of guilt ran through her as she felt his heart beat slow down.

Quickly yet silently, she extracted herself from his bed. The digital clock told her that it was nearly morning yet the howling winds outside suggested that the storm was still raging outside.

Popping another mushroom, this one roughly 14cm tall, into her mouth, she reverted to her true age. Slipping on her clothes she exited his room.

* * *

Thick drifts of icy snow greeted Ranma as he exited the Hinata Sou. The sun cowered behind the thick storm clouds and the sheets of snow. Unlike the precipitation from the previous night the snow this morning was strictly snow, making the footing all the trickier as it covered the icy slush that fell the previous night.

It didn't help that Keitaro was still bedridden, though at least he was doing better.

Tasked with clearing the stairs and roof of snow, Ranma set off to complete his duties. Besides, the sooner he finished clearing the snow, the sooner he could get back to Final Fantasy 7.

* * *

Naru really didn't count herself as a snow person. Sure, it could be pretty and throwing snowballs at people could be fun, but that was about it. Her personal preference was being able to curl up in Ranma's arms before a fire place. The best way to stay warm was to crawl into bed naked with someone and who better than Ranma to crawl into bed with?

Sharing a bed with Mutsumi had been, well, interesting. At least the voluptuous ronin hadn't tried to seduce her or tried to talk her out of her relationship with Ranma. In fact, the past few weeks, or was it months, since that incident Mutsumi had gone out of her way to show her support of their relationship, stating that she just wanted Naru to be happy.

The snowstorm hadn't hit the city as hard as the country, leaving the last two stops inaccessible. With little else to do, Mutsumi and Naru prepared for another day of work.

"I just called Keitaro," the voluptuous ronin stated.

"How's he doing?" the auburn haired beauty asked.

The older girl smiled sweetly, "He's still sick, but doing better. Ranma's clearing the snow. Hopefully the train will be up and running once we're both done with work."

Naru nodded, accepting their current circumstances.

* * *

For the first time in a long time Keitaro Urashima was embarrassed. Though he was still sick, he couldn't risk letting the girls see the mess he'd made after just a single night without Mutsumi around. In the two months that the two ronin had been dating their nearly daily (oftentimes several times a day) excursions allowed him to relieve the pressures that his now teenaged body endured.

Wet dreams hadn't been a problem in the past, not when he was single. But the number of times that he and Mutsumi had been having sex recently it was no wonder that he'd made a mess in her absence. Clearly his body had gotten use to relieving itself on a nearly daily basis and even before he and Mutsumi had dated he'd been forced to fly solo. After two months of not having to go it alone, he'd forgotten to relieve himself the one time that Mutsumi wasn't around.

But it wasn't just that he'd made a mess that embarrassed him, it was that he'd been dreaming of Naru when he'd done it. Normally he wouldn't have recalled the dream he'd had when that happened, but it had been so vivid.

Just thinking about the dream made him hard.

Naru, naked and in his bed with him, her firm, full breasts pressed against his chest. Licking and sucking on her sensitive nipples while she handled his equipment.

Before he knew what he was doing, Keitaro had taken up his pencil and paper, sketching out his dream. Graphic images of Naru laying next to him as he tasted her treasures filled the page.

He loved her, he really did. He'd tried to express his feeling for her before, but she hadn't returned them. Then Mutsumi and Ranma had come along, changing everything. Still, Mutsumi was beautiful in her own right, but it didn't change the fact that for the longest time he'd lusted after Naru. Of all the original Hinata Sou girls she was the one that he lusted after the most. Su, Shinobu, Motoko and Kitsune each had a sketchbook dedicated to them, but Naru had several more than even Kitsune and Motoko combined. This page, or pages, would simply be added to that collection.

Over the past year he'd caught glimpses of the various women's silky smooth skin and their soft curves. Though his mind wasn't keen on recalling mathematical formulas or historic dates, it was good at recalling those sinful, carnal images. It helped that he often stored those visions on his sketch pads.

Only the number of books he had of Mutsumi could compare, but that was because he'd seen her completely naked much more than he'd seen any of the other women. She'd even volunteered to model for him several times.

Still, his mind often wandered back to the first girl to handle his manhood. True, she hadn't meant to do it, but she had dragged him around the onsen the first day they'd met.

He didn't know why he dreamt about her even though the voluptuous Mutsumi kept him busy (but not satisfied). Perhaps that had been why he'd been so willing to let Kitsune seduce him and why he hadn't objected to the knowledge that Mutsumi had actually seduced Naru and tried to get the auburn haired beauty to help her satisfy him.

With their busy schedules the foursome of Todai hopefuls hadn't been able to study together much over the past two months. Though two or even three of them could meet at once, the entire group had not been able to do so in over two months. Even with the exams quickly approaching they had not been able to sit down together as a group to study together.

If not for the fact that he worked out virtually every morning and sparred with Naru, Motoko, Mutsumi, and even Shinobu, he would not have been able to see as much as he had recently.

He wasn't sure if not being around Naru as much was a good thing or a bad thing. Though he was physically attracted to Naru, she was with Ranma and he was with Mutsumi. The two of them being together alone would only hamper their own respective relationships. And it wasn't like he didn't like Ranma. The guy had been slowly helping him to be a better person, a better man. After all the shit he'd apparently been through he deserved to be happy.

Besides, he only lusted after Naru, just as he lusted after the other Hinata Sou girls. Mutsumi actually loved him, and he loved her too. He could be happy with her, right?

* * *

The fierce storm slowly subsided as sheets of icy snow gave way to gently falling flakes. Despite the long flight of steps that lead up to the Hinata Sou as well as the spacious roof, Ranma was able to clear the snow.

But it had all been worth it as the restored Naru and Mutsumi returned to the Hinata Sou. Su and Sara were still with Seta and Haruka, leaving them just two residents short.

Dinner had flown by with the remaining residents sharing a simple meal of soba and tempura. With the sub-zero temperatures the onsen was closed yet again, forcing the residents to use either the bath in the annex or the shower on the second floor. The fact that the girls were using the bath together Ranma opted to use the shower as his long day of shoveling had left him rather ripe.

The hot, cascading water soothed his tired muscles, reminding him of his long day's work.

"Want me to wash your back?"

Startled, Ranma peered through the frosted glass at the figure that emerged. Watching as Naru stripped off her tight yellow sweater he froze. Though it was a tempting offer he knew that they shouldn't. With the exception of their first time together they had always made an effort to not have sex in the Sou. It didn't help that Naru was very vocal whenever they had sex, and considering the fairly thin walls sound carried very well.

"Don't worry," said Naru as she removed her skirt and then panties. "Everyone's at the other end of the building."

Completely nude, the fiery woman opened the door to the shower, heedless of the drops of water that escaped the stall.

"I missed you," she said as she stepped into the spraying water.

A gentle kiss answered her as he embraced his lover. "I missed you too."

The two lovers gently caressed each other's bodies as they washed off the sweat and grime of the day. Reaching for the scrubbing towel, Naru handed it to him along with the soap.

"Naru," he said, accepting the cloth. "There's something I have to tell you."

"Did you do something with Keitaro that you shouldn't have?" teased the auburn haired beauty.

"No," he replied.

The seriousness in his tone told her that something was wrong. Turning around, she looked into his piercing blue eyes.

"You know how in Harry Potter there's a Ministry of Magic?"

"Yeah," she replied, uncertain why he brought that up.

"Well, there's something like that in Japan too."

"Okay. So are they going to come after you for the magic mushrooms you grow?"

"I hope not," he replied. "I've done worse so I doubt that they'll come after me for that."

That caught her attention.

"You see, it's not that Japan has a Ministry of Magic, it's more of a magical alliance that tries to keep magic hidden from the general public. Anyways, ten years ago, they decided that I needed to live on the mountain."

"Okay…"

"You know that I'm actually much older than you or Keitaro, right?"

Naru nodded.

"Yet I look like I'm barely older than Motoko."

"Magic mushrooms?"

The pigtailed immortal shook his head. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you, but I know that I can't put it off any longer."

Their eyes locked, Naru gulped.

"I'm actually closer to Seta's age. You see, I've been cursed."

"Sterility isn't a curse, the advances in medicine could"

"Sterility is just a side-effect. I'm immortal."

Naru blinked. "Like in Highlander?"

"Sort of," he replied. "I was tricked into eating something. Not everyone who eats it gains immortality like I did. Most transform into hideous monsters that are pretty hard to kill. Trust me, I know. As good as I am I had trouble killing them."

Naru blinked, unsure how to react to such news.

Reaching behind her, Ranma grabbed the razor blade that his father had used to shave. The 10cm blade maintained its edge despite a decade of use as Ranma had maintained it with painstaking effort over the past decade.

Holding the blade up before her, he struck, severing his left hand off at the wrist.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Folding up the blade, he let her see his severed limb. Kicking up his now detached hand, he dexterously caught it in his remaining hand. Blood flowed freely from the wound even as he pressed his left hand over it. Slowly the crimson fluid stopped mixing with the hot water as his body mended the wound. He could feel the water hitting his hand as his nerves reattached themselves. Testing his newly healed hand, he caressed his lover's face.

"I'll understand if"

His impromptu speech was cut short as Naru kissed him fiercely. Though he'd killed the mood with his display, he could feel the stirring passion within him as his manhood reacted to her presence.

"You're an idiot!" proclaimed Naru as she broke the kiss.

Ranma smirked. "I've been called worse."

"Why'd you tell me this?"

Taking a deep breath, he stared into her brown eyes. "Because I love you, and I knew that I couldn't keep this from you."

"I love you too," returned. Gently, she set her head on his chest.

For a moment they stood there together, neither sure what else needed to be said.

"So, what about this Ministry of Magic?" she finally asked.

"Well," he said, stalling for time to collect his thoughts. "It's because of some of the insane stuff that we did back in Nerima that they came into being."

"Nerima? Like in Kitsune's article about the Golden Age of Japanese Martial artist?"

Ranma nodded.

"You were part of the Nerima Wrecking Crew?"

Again he nodded. "Yeah. We did lots of crazy things."

"Tell me everything."

* * *

The two lovers stood beneath the torrent of water. Nothing could separate them for long, not even a powerful snow storm.

Playfully he fondled her firm buttock as he washed her back, gently squeezing the perfectly contoured body part even as he worked his way down her legs. With the water rinsing off her body he trailed kisses down her back and spine. A playful bite elicited a startled cry as his teeth sunk into her firm rear.

His nimble fingers and hands worked their magic on her inner thighs.

Pleasure filled moans escaped her soft lips as his gentle caress worked her into a passionate frenzy. Dexterous fingers teased her womanhood as he sought to claim her as his own once again.

Hands on the cold tile wall, the ronin slowly spread her legs, offering herself to him.

A playful slap to her firm posterior rang out as he refused her offering. Though he wanted her, he knew that he had to punish her for doubting him. No storm could keep him from her.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the bathroom until her porcelain skin was now red from the repeated slaps. Though the blows were meant as punishment, they also served to increase her passion as she stood there completely submissive.

Finally his strong hands worked their way up her spine and around her ribs so that they now caressed her supple breasts. Skilled fingers began to tweak her nipples until they were erect.

Another moan of pleasure escaped her lips as she endured his teasing. She wanted him so bad, but she couldn't be the one to give in. Though he'd weathered the storm and endured the punishing cold winds and snow to get to her, he would tell her when she was ready to receive him.

Strong hands gripped her hips as he pulled himself to her, his erection pressed against her now sore behind. Pain and pleasure filled her as he gentle thrust his hips so that his other head caressed her aching lips and his pelvis pushed against her reddened buttocks.

She wanted to cry out, to beg him to pierce her with his sword, but she couldn't. She knew the rules of the game and she'd wait until he was ready.

The cold tiles sent a wave of arousal through her breasts as she was pressed against them. Her erect nipples longed to be touched by his strong fingers.

Hot water pooled in the small of her back as he pressed his pelvis against her buttocks once again.

She could feel her juices slowly seeping out of her excited womanhood as he slowly stabbed her with his manhood.

"Motoko!"

The kendoka froze, slamming her notebook close and pulling her other hand out of her untied hakama. The fact that Naru had excused herself early from the baths didn't surprised either of the other women. Both suspected that the passionate auburn haired woman might have snuck off to see her lover while he showered. With everyone out of the baths now though it seemed odd that Naru hadn't returned to her room.

"Just a minute," she replied, trying to place the voice. It had definitely been female. "I'm still changing Otohime-sempai."

"Okay," the other woman replied from the other side of her door.

Quickly and with practiced fingers, Motoko removed her clothing. Opting for something better suited for the weather she threw on a thick tee shirt and jeans. Though it had been a long time since she'd worn jeans, she knew that she'd have to endure the tight fit as she needed the warmth that they provided when compared to her skirt.

Pushing her notebook under her futon, she scanned her room once more, making sure that everything was put away and in its proper place. "Come in."

There was no hiding what she'd been doing, not when it came to the older woman. Despite her apparent airheaded demeanor Mutsumi was fairly perceptive.

Motoko barely noticed the other woman pause to sniff the air. Yes, she surely knew what the kendoka had done.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," the voluptuous woman said as she eyed the kendoka. "But I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Despite their longstanding agreement to not be intimate at the Hinata Sou, Naru couldn't help but find herself sneaking into Ranma's room once she was sure that the other residents were asleep. But it wasn't the desire for sex that brought her to Ranma's bed that night.

"Yo," he greeted, sitting up in his bed as he watched her silhouette slide his door close.

"Hey," greeted the conflicted woman.

Grabbing the edge of his covers he lifted it up, inviting his lover into his bed.

Silently she accepted, walking over to his bed before joining him under the covers.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy," Ranma muttered, wrapping his arms around her before kissing her gently on the forehead.

Naru nodded before rolling onto her side and resting her head on his chest and arm. With all that he'd told her of his past in Nerima, she couldn't help but feel slightly uncertain about everything. Still, she couldn't hold it against him. She really couldn't hold it against Seta, Keitaro, or Motoko for not telling her either.

Actually, she felt a lot like Harry Potter, or Hermione Granger, upon discovering that there really was a whole world of magic out there that she'd been ignorant to for her entire life. Or at least she thought that they'd feel that way. Then again the two fictional characters had been 11 when they found out, and they didn't have someone they loved directly affected by this mysterious Magical Association.

The fact that he'd been engaged didn't bother her, but the fact that he'd been cursed several times did make her wonder about his life. Had this Magical Association turned things around in ten years, limiting the number of magical incidents that were exposed to the non-magical populace? And just how far would they go to keep magic a secret?

"We should go talk to Konatsu, Ryoga, and Tsuruko," suggested Ranma. "They might know the Association's stance better."

The feel of his strong arms and chest reassured her, allowing her mind some sense of ease. "I love you."

A warmth spread through Ranma's chest at the words. "I love you too."

* * *

A late and unexpected warm spell rewarded the residents of Hinata for their perseverance and fortitude. By the time that Sunday rolled around again things were back to normal for the residents of the Hinata Sou.

Despite the warmer weather Saotome's Grill had fewer patrons as the usual Sunday crowd opted not to come in due to the still frigid weather. The smaller crowds actually helped, allowing Konatsu and Ukyo to close the restaurant early so that they could meet with Ranma, Naru, Shinobu, Seta, Tsuruko, Ryoga, Takahata, and Eishun.

"I don't see a problem with him telling her," the man known as Eishun stated. "So long as she doesn't tell anyone it shouldn't be a problem."

"No problems here," Konatsu added, agreeing with the mage from Kyoto.

Ryoga nodded his agreement.

"I agree with my husband," the elegant swordswoman said. "Having been there over ten years ago I know how emotionally drained you were – to see you in a healthy relationship so soon after your banishment I see that allowing you out was the right thing."

"I don't think the Dean will object to it either as long as either of them don't tell anyone," the scruff blond mage from Mahora added. Turning so that he could look at Naru and Shinobu to express the seriousness of their situation he maintained eye contact with them. "I realize that the grill here is a place where magi and non-magical people gather, but make sure not to attract too much attention to yourself or to let slip about the existence of magic."

Feeling Naru squeeze his hand, Ranma sat back in his seat. He'd expected them to give him some grief over his decision. Sure, Ryoga, Konatsu, and Ukyo had all grown up in the past decade, but none of the others really knew him back in Nerima.

"Naru," Ukyo finally said, "do you plan to have children with Ranma?"

All eyes turned to focus on Naru as she considered the question. "I think that most women harbor the desire to have children," she finally said, "but I realize and accept that Ranma isn't in the position to provide me with any."

For a moment Ukyo eyed the younger woman. "Actually," she said, "there is a possibility that you could have his child."

Everyone turned to eye the busty chef.

"Ranma," the brunette said as she turned to face her brother-in-law, "you know that Nabiki was pretty manipulative and sneaky."

Both masters of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū nodded.

"Well," Ukyo said, unsure of how to explain things, "I'm not sure how she got it, but she acquired some of your, swimmers…"

The other men turned and eyed Ranma. No one noticed the slight blush that Shinobu had, though if they did they probably assumed it was because she was so young and thus innocent.

"You have to understand, ten years ago In vitro fertilization and assisted reproductive technology was only whispered about back then," Ukyo explained. "She tried to sell your, um, stuff in hopes of getting me and Shampoo to back off. After everything that happened though, Dr. Tofu claimed your, um, samples. I don't know if he kept them at the sperm bank or not, but he's the one you would have to talk to about that."

Had he not already been sitting, Ranma would have been floored by the news. As it was he sat back, unsteady as his mind processed everything that he'd been told.

"There is also the fact that we don't know everything about the full extent of your curse," Seta added. "I have as of yet been unable to find out anything about the mermaid flesh and Lost Souls. We know that there are other immortals, but how many and how long they have lived is still unknown."

"We do know that there are other types of immortals," Eishun added. "But none of them has ever attempted to breed, er, have children.

"If we discover anything we'll contact you."

Ranma nodded. A deep, calming breath helped clear his mind and sooth his flickering emotions.

"If you have any questions please relay them to Seta or Tsuruko," the former heir apparent of the Shinmeiryu added. "As it is, it seems like everything has been covered, I think our business here is done."

"We should be going too," Ryoga added. "It's a long train-ride back to Kyoto."

"Try to stay out of trouble," advised Tsuruko. Discretely she shot a look at the blond mage. "The Magical Association is based in Mahora, they'll hear of any trouble before we do and they can respond to it we can."

"You're all welcome to stop by Mahora and use our resources," Takahata chimed in with a smile. "We're much closer than Kyoto, and there plenty of magi who would like the opportunity to spar with you."

"I'll pass," Ranma replied with a smile. "I've already got my hands full with trying to get into Todai and with one student."

"Well, feel free to stop by anytime," shrugged the scruffy man. "The offer's always open."

* * *

A/N

I think that'll do for now.

Dreamingfox


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes –

Man, losing Romo has killed my FF leagues/teams. I've lost 2 of three the last three weeks and Big Ben hasn't been producing for me. Man, this is so disappointing. 1-3 over the weekend… man, this sucks.

Anyways, I'm hope you all enjoy this fic. Thanks to all the reviews and critiques of this fic. You've really made this much better than I could have done alone.

Please, read and review.

* * *

Gentle snow fell, sprinkling the hordes of shoppers as they navigated the streets. A multitude of colors reflected off of the airborne water crystals, giving the street a warm feeling.

"I think Mutsumi would look good in that," stated Keitaro as he looked past the reflection in the window and at the festive red and white winter coat. "She's never had to endure a winter like this, that's why she's been coughing so much lately."

His companion nodded, "It doesn't help that she's standing outside for her job."

"I think I'll get it for her."

"That one won't fit her," the other man stated.

"Huh?"

"Mutsumi's bustier than the mannequin," he explained. "If she's going to wear that coat she won't be able to button the top three buttons, leaving her throat exposed which defeats the point of getting her a coat with a high collar."

For a moment Keitaro envisioned his girlfriend in the coat. "So I shouldn't get it?"

"Not what I said," answered Ranma. "I said that she won't fit that coat. You should see if they have one that's a size or two larger."

"Good idea."

Despite the fact that he could see his own breath in the frigid air, Ranma wasn't bothered by the weather in the slightest. Beneath his red cotton sweater he wore a simple t-shirt and a pair of well trusty silk pants with a padded lining.

But it wasn't the weather that drove him into the store. With no little family left and a girlfriend and a student, Ranma felt the need to actually give something to those closest to him. Unfortunately that meant that he'd have to give something to all of the girls at the Sou as he didn't want to exclude anyone.

Su and Sara had been the easiest to shop for as he'd purchased them each a pair of gift cards/coupons for a local restaurant. Kitsune had also been easy, though finding her gift (a special bottle of rum) had been more difficult than he'd anticipated. Mutsumi's gift has harder to acquire, especially considering that few people actually sold watermelon plants with winter around the corner.

He knew that Shinobu would enjoy her gift of a 100% silk school outfit (he hated the synthetic fibers that most schools preferred as they just didn't let the skin breath) and the cotton gi.

Keitaro had been easy. The various pens, inks, and sketch pads would allow the ronin to express his artistic side. Even Motoko's new bokken and a scabbard for the Hina blade were practical.

Yes, all his gifts had been practical. All but the one he had in store for Naru. Sure, he'd had a silk dress made for her, but that was only the diversion. She wouldn't receive her true Christmas gift until their date.

"So," Keitaro said as the saleswoman retreated to the back of the store, "Mutsumi apparently approached Motoko. She wanted Motoko to form a sakuru."

"What?"

"It's what they call a group or team that releases dojinshi," explained Keitaro. "Motoko's apparently got some skill with writing"

"And you draw."

The ronin nodded.

"You have been kinda distracted lately," admitted Ranma. "But I figured it was dealing with your relationship."

Both men nodded. With both of them undergoing similar changes in their lives recently, neither one could definitively advise the other about their respective relationships.

"Hey, Keitaro," a tall, lanky man with glasses said.

"Long time no see," a shorter, slightly overweight man added. "How are the seminars at the cram school going?"

Both Ranma and Keitaro turned towards the approaching duo.

"You know these guys?"

Keitaro shook his head, "No idea."

Both of the other men fell flat on their respective faces.

"I'm Haitani," the taller of the two stated.

Not to be outdone the shorter man grabbed Keitaro by the front of his coat, "And I'm Shirai!"

"We've been friends since high school!" Haitani proclaimed.

"Oh, yeah," exclaimed Keitaro as he finally recognized them.

"With a brain like that it's no wonder you're still a ronin," Shirai remarked.

Haitani nodded, rubbing his chin. "You keep this up and you'll fail the exams again next year."

"Who's your friend?" the shorter man asked as he finally turned to address Ranma.

"Oh, this is Ranma Saotome," Keitaro finally said. "He's granny Hina's business partner – he owns part of the Hinata Sou.

"Ranma, this is Kimiaki Shirai and Masayuki Haitani; I went to high school with them. We even went to the same cram school together for three years."

"So you guys are in Todai then?" asked Ranma.

Both men shook their heads.

"We didn't make it into our first choice, but we did manage to get into our second choices," answered Haitani.

"Ranma's taking the entrance exam," Keitaro explained. "He's aiming for Todai as well."

"Good luck," Shirai said, shaking his head. "There's a reason why Todai is the best school in the country."

"Speaking of Todai," Haitani interrupted, "how's Naru?"

"Um," Keitaro glanced at Ranma, "she's actually dating Ranma."

Suddenly slack-jawed, the two university students nearly fell over in shock.

"But,"

"Weren't you…" Haitani gaped at Keitaro.

"I'm dating someone else," Keitaro stated.

"I always knew she was out of your league," the shorter of the two finally managed to say.

Haitani nodded in agreement. "Even though all of the Hinata girls are hot, she was probably the best of them."

"No way," Shirai shook his head, "Haruka's the hottest."

"Sorry," the slender, thirty-something saleswoman said, announcing her presence, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I have the coat you requested. I'm sure your girlfriend will love this."

For a few minutes the gathered men said nothing as Keitaro paid for gift to Mutsumi.

"Why don't we get something to eat?" Keitaro suggested. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

With nothing else to do as his student and his girlfriend were both working, Ranma reluctantly agreed.

Though the other three did the majority of the talking, Ranma couldn't help but feel glad that he'd joined them. Sure, the two university students were kinda perverted, but compared to other guys he'd met they were actually pretty normal.

Life, it seemed, had begun to settle down for Ranma. True, he still sparred with the others, and they'd even built a small dojo behind the annex (since not everyone had Ranma's resilience to the cold weather), but compared to his time in Nerima, this was easy.

Hearing the alarm on his cell phone, Ranma flipped it open. "We should probably get going."

"So, you guys are heading in for the special December seminars?" Shirai asked as the foursome left the café.

Haitani shook his head, bemused by the look on Keitaro's face at the other man's question. "I'm glad I don't have to endure those anymore."

"They're not that bad," Ranma grumbled.

Keitaro simply sighed, "Says the man who's always falling asleep during the seminars."

"I can't help that I've got the best scores in class," the proud martial artist smirked.

"No wonder Naru likes him," Haitani sighed.

Shirai nodded. "Ranma's definitely out of your league. He definitely belongs with Naru."

"Pervert!"

Before any of the men could turn react, a feisty young girl appeared before them. "You were taking pictures up the girls' skirts!"

The men looked at each other then at the girl even as she moved to capture Ranma's hand in hers. Instinct and training prompted the pigtailed martial artist to pull his hand away from her.

Failing to catch his hand and phone the woman found her hands in Keitaro's coat pocket. "Ha!" she exclaimed victoriously, revealing his cell phone. "I've got the proof right here! You're the pervert who's been taking pictures of…"

The four men looked at the cell phone's display as a very revealing image of the busty Mutsumi Otohime appeared. Though the picture was grainy, it was clear that she was in a very compromising, but consensual position, dressed very much like she currently was in her holiday coat for her part-time job.

"That's my girlfriend!" Keitaro exclaimed.

Both Haitani and Shirai blinked. "You bastard! You've been holding out on us! How the hell do you get such a hot girlfriend and not tell us!"

"Dude," Ranma said, pulling the phone out of the girl's numb fingers, "you shouldn't be keeping those pictures on your phone."

The strange outburst had brought much attention to the group as passersby stopped and watched.

"Why don't we take this somewhere else?" the pigtailed man suggested.

"No!" the girl shouted. "He's a pervert!"

"Kei-kun's a pervert?" a sweet voice asked. "I thought you were trying to keep that a secret."

Everyone turned to the busty brunette, wearing the exact holiday coat as seen on the cell phone, as she walked through the crowd, making a bee-line for the embarrassed ronin.

"You bastard!" Haitani cried out as he choked Keitaro. "She's so hot! You don't deserve a beautiful girlfriend like her!"

"What's going on here?" another voice demanded. "You're keeping customers from coming to our store."

Ranma instinctively turned towards the new speaker. "Sorry."

"He's a pervert!" the still unidentified girl proclaimed. "He's got"

Before she could say anything else, Ranma covered her mouth. "We really need to take this somewhere else," he muttered. Turning to the other woman working with Mutsumi, "Where's the police booth?"

Mutsumi pointed, "Over there. They have someone on hand to deal with shoplifters."

Ranma nodded, dragging the smaller, protesting woman away. Despite her size the energetic girl was surprisingly strong as she struggled against him. Pausing for a moment, he turned to his friend's girlfriend, "Are you going to be able to make the seminar tonight?"

The voluptuous woman nodded.

"We'll see you then," he said with a smile before dragging the girl off to the police booth.

"Let me go!" demanded the redheaded girl. "I know what you're trying to do - you're trying to kidnap me!"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, in the middle of a crowded street full of Christmas shoppers."

His sarcasm wasn't lost on the other men as they followed behind.

"Officer," the woman cried out once the booth was in sight, "this man is trying to kidnap me!"

The heavily bundled officer eyed them, not sure what to make of the four men and the woman.

"She accosted my friend," Ranma stated. "She claims that he" he pointed back at Keitaro "was taking pictures up women's skirts."

"He's got pictures of nude women on his cell phone!"

"That's my girlfriend!"

"And the marks on his neck?" asked the observant officer.

"His buddies didn't like that he's been keeping the fact that he's got a hot girlfriend from them," Ranma explained. "She works over at the bakery. You can ask her if she's really dating him if you don't believe us."

"Ah, you're Mutsumi's Kei-kun," the friendly officer exclaimed. "You're a lucky guy. Just make sure she's not working too hard. She fainted the other day after work."

Keitaro nodded, hiding his blushing face as he did so. He really didn't like being called out in public like that.

"Clearly it's a misunderstanding," the officer stated. "But you really shouldn't keep those kinds of pictures on your cell phone."

"Yes sir," the admonished ronin grumbled. _'She's the one who sent those to me for Christmas.'_

"And you, young lady, shouldn't be so quick to pick a fight with four men regardless of what you think is right or wrong," the officer lectured the woman. "If you suspect someone is doing what you thought they were doing you should take it up with an officer or with the management of that establishment."

"Thank you officer," Ranma said, offering a polite bow to the law enforcement officer.

"Thank you," the others said, mimicking him.

Excusing themselves, the four men departed, leaving the officer as he continued to reprimand the woman.

"That was unusual," said Haitani as he tried to break the mood.

"Yeah," the others quickly agreed.

"Well," Shirai interjected, "but we've got to get to work. I'm sure you guys have to head in for your seminar soon too."

"Yeah," Keitaro replied. "Why don't you guys stop by sometime?"

Both of the university students smirked. Ranma couldn't help but sigh.

Haitani and Shirai grinned. "Sure."

* * *

"Did you get it?" the cloaked man asked the woman.

The image of the slight redheaded girl quickly melted away as the woman's body expanded. Small breasts grew enormous as short red hair turned black and grew past the woman's waist. The outfit that had been loose on the young girl was tight on the fully grown woman. "Of course."

Flipping open her phone, the woman revealed the image she'd captured with her cell phone to the two men.

"That's him," stated the man in the shadows. "He really hasn't aged a day in ten years."

"Mermaid's flesh," the well dressed man explained.

"Yes, yes," the other man muttered. "He's one of the rare few that survived it. If he's the same Ranma that I remember, he'd never think of trying to take revenge. Still, he's been broken, so it's possible. Still, we what else might sway him to siding with us."

"He should trust you still," the cloaked man suggested.

"No," the hidden man replied. "He knows that everyone that's left has changed. He'll wonder why I haven't made contact with anyone else. We can't risk revealing everything to him just yet."

"You know him best Dr. Tofu," the woman stated. "What should we do then?"

Light gleamed off of his meticulously clean lenses as he stepped into the light. Though his once black hair was now peppered with grays and whites, and more wrinkles appeared on his weathered face, the once kind-hearted man had a more sinister look in his eyes. "We show him that he can never belong. Once he realizes that, he'll be ours."

* * *

Life really had settled down for Ranma. Gone were the crazy, insane multiple fiancées and rivals. The days of the destructive fights that leveled houses and buildings were long behind him. Holding Naru's hand as they left the cram school seminar the pigtailed man couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

The gently blowing snow created small drifts as the sky darkened. Festive lights illuminated the street as crowds of people continued their shopping. It was no surprise that the train station was packed as shoppers either continued to shop or were returning home with their gifts.

"Get all of your shopping done?" Mutsumi asked as she turned to the two men.

Neither man spoke, choosing to simply nod in response.

The gentle ringing of her phone kept Naru from joining in on the conversation, allowing the men to breathe a sigh of relief. With the holidays only a few days away the two women had taken to pressing their boyfriends for any clues about their respective presents, intensifying their inquires with each passing day.

But it was the slightly bewildered look on Naru's face that concerned Ranma as the usually feisty woman turned her attention to her phone. Normally she flipped her phone open with one hand but something about this call prompted her to extract her hand from Ranma's, opening the phone with two hands even as she moved away from the group.

With the hum of the crowds even Ranma was unable to make out anything that she said as she answered the call.

"That was my dad," the subdued woman stated. "My little sister's gone missing."

"You've got a sister?" the two men exclaimed.

"She's gone missing?" Mutsumi asked.

"Well, she's left home," Naru explained. "Dad's out looking for her, but he thinks she might be trying to come see me."

"That makes sense," the voluptuous woman said thoughtfully. "How long has it been since you've seen her?"

Though Naru had become less temperamental and irritable since dating Ranma, there were times when she still lashed out at the two men, but seeing her withdraw from the kind and caring Mutsumi made everyone wonder.

For the entire ride back to Hinata Naru remained silent and withdrawn, shying away from even Ranma as she looked at her cell phone.

"Hello?" Keitaro's voice caught him by surprise.

So focused on Naru's odd behavior was he that he'd failed to notice his other companions.

"We're on our way back," the dorm manager answered. "Yeah, tell her that I'll be there shortly. Is Haruka there? No, okay, just be polite and keep Sara and Su from scaring her off."

The others turned to him, unsure if his conversation had anything to do with Naru's situation.

Finally he closed his phone. "Kitsune says that there's a girl at the Sou, she wants to rent out the last room."

The others nodded.

"She also says that your sister is there."

A firm, but gentle hand reached out, grabbing Ranma's at the news. A tentative smile greeted him as he turned to his lover. Returning the gesture, he gently squeezed her hand.

Silence reigned over the quartet as they rushed to return to the Hinata Sou.

"Hey Keitaro!" the exuberant Su shouted as she tried to greet the dorm manager in her usual method.

"Hey slacker!" her partner in crime shouted.

With deft ease Keitaro avoided their attacks/greetings. "Where's"

"She's with Motoko," Kitsune replied. "They're in the kitchen. She said that you should bring Ranma too.

"Naru, your sister's in your room. Shinobu's with her."

The auburn haired girl nodded. Shooting Ranma a look, she released his hand. Kitsune and Mutsumi quickly gave chase as Naru headed upstairs.

"What's this new girl like?" Keitaro asked.

Su beamed. "I like her!"

Sara nodded. "She's a martial artist."

Both men shrugged. I almost seemed odd that everyone at the Sou was starting to become a martial artist of sorts.

"Well, we should have a full house if she stays here," Keitaro remarked.

Ranma nodded as he pushed the uneasy feeling about Naru and her sister out of his mind.

"Hey Motoko," the ronin called out as he entered the kitchen.

"Urashima-san," the kendoka greeted, a seriousness in her tone, "Saotome-sama."

Standing behind Keitaro as he entered the room, Ranma only caught a glimpse of the perspective tenant. Her silky black hair was cut short, not even reaching her shoulders.

"This is Akane Tendo," said Motoko as she introduced the girl.

He didn't know why, but Ranma froze. _'Her hairs the same, even her posture's the same… but the clothes aren't hers.'_

Time stood still as the girl turned around, her hair finally giving way to the soft features that he knew far to well. Only the gentle smile on her face was alien to him, though perhaps it was because she'd rarely ever smiled at him.

It felt as though Taro had connected pulled his feet out from under him with his tentacles before slamming his giant yeti fists into his stomach. Ranma could only stand there in a stupor as he gazed upon her simple yet beautiful face. Her soft cheeks, dark brown eyes – it was the same face that plagued his nightmares, no, this face had aged just a bit from the one he remembered. She was older, perhaps 20 or so, definitely not the 16 year old girl that he'd executed.

"Saotome-sama," the kendoka said as she moved around the dining room table, "I'd like a word."

"Sure," he managed to squeak out.

For all intents and purposes Motoko dragged him out of the room, leaving Keitaro with the mysterious woman.

By the time he'd regained his senses he found himself in the small dojo that they now used for sparring and practicing.

"I thought as much," Motoko said as she finally released his arm. "Her name itself is nothing unusual, but that she bears such a resemblance"

"Not just a resemblance," interrupted Ranma. "Identical. Same posture, same build, same exact features – it's an exact copy of her."

The usually collected and steady kendoka hesitated, unsure of herself. "A-are you alright?"

Ranma shook his head. "Of course I'm not."

* * *

An ominous air filled the room as the two young occupants sat in relative silence. Only the gentle panting breath of the midnight black dog broke the silence as neither girl said anything. Though they were strangers, both shared a common bond – Naru Narusegawa. The older of the two girls had known her for the past two years. In many respects she was following in Naru's footsteps actually.

Though her hair was a silky black with a bluish sheen, Shinobu Maehara was very similar to her sempai. Both lived at the Hinata Sou, both had come there during their middle school years, both had an older man tutor them, both had cared enough about their tutor to aspire to become Todai students (and take up martial arts, though not in that exact order) and both had cared for Keitaro Urashima at one point.

The other girl though shared little in common with Naru Narusegawa despite being her sister (or step-sister). The light, auburn hair that the older Narusegawa possessed was replaced with a light, milky chocolate brown that matched her soft brown eyes.

"Mei?" Naru's normally confident booming voice was replaced with a gentle, almost timid voice, making it Shinobu wonder if perhaps it had not in fact belonged to the busty woman that usually accompanied the fiery auburn haired woman.

"Naru!" the younger Narusegawa exclaimed. Hopping to her feet, she quickly rushed over to her older sibling and embraced her warmly.

"What are you doing here?" the elder sibling asked. Had it been anyone else she would have demanded an answer. Even Ranma hadn't been able to soften her tone as her sister was apparently able to.

"I should go," Shinobu muttered, not even sure if the two Narusegawa women had heard her.

Almost as if on command, Kage stood up. Marching purposely from the room the midnight black canine didn't bother to look back at any of the women even as three of them followed him down to the ground floor.

With no prying eyes on them the two siblings broke their embrace.

"I wanted to see you," explained Mei. "You have to come home!"

Slightly startled by the ferocity in the younger girl's voice Naru took a step back as she reappraised her sister. "What's going on?"

"Mom and Dad, and me, well, we all miss you. It's been five years since you left home, isn't it about time you came back? You don't even stop by and visit for the holidays any more. Have you forgotten about your family?"

A sliver of guilt stabbed the older Narusegawa, piercing her heart. It was true. She hadn't visited home in nearly two years. She hadn't even invited them to see her graduate from high school last year. Then again, what good was graduating if she hadn't even made it into college?

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I've just been so caught up with everything that I just didn't have time to stop by."

"What's more important than family?" Mei demanded.

"I… I've just been busy," Naru replied. "I promise; I'll make it up to you."

"Okay," the younger girl said, accepting the peace offering. "Come and spend Christmas with us."

The older woman opened her mouth to reply but found that the words in her mind weren't meshing together. "I… I can't."

Her ploy disrupted, the younger Narusegawa sibling froze. She'd clearly expected her sister to give in, but this snag in her plan had been completely unexpected. Still, she at least had a back-up plan. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

'_Shit,'_ Naru thought as she eyed her inquisitive sister. _'Dad thinks that this is an all girl's dormitory. If he finds out it's not and that I'm dating one of the owners/residents he might freak out and demand that I come home. But I can't lie to them… but what can I do?'_

"You do, don't you?" Mei eyed her sister. _'This is news. Mom might be okay with it, but Dad won't be. But why would she feel the need to keep him from us?'_

"Yes," Naru declared. "He's a cram school student just like I am, but he's also running a dojo here."

"He lives here?"

"He stays in the dojo sometimes," Naru lied. "But he actually lives on the mountain." _'That's pretty close to the truth.'_

"Cool," Mei smirked. "Can I meet him?"

* * *

The feel of his pounding heart as it pumped untold liters of blood through his body always made him feel good. Though he managed top scores when he wanted to, he was at his best when he was fighting.

Leaping over a fierce vertical strike, Ranma responded with a swift kick that forced the kendoka back.

'_There were four Lost Souls,'_ he thought as he nimbly avoided a retaliatory slash from Motoko. _'Mom and Pops, Old Man Tendo and Akane. Nabs and Kasumi died as they turned. That girl can't really be Akane.'_

Strong fingers caught the bokken as it attempted to collide with his skull. Rolling onto his back he kicked up connecting with Motoko's stomach before he sent her flying overhead.

Sensing an opening, Su and Sara leapt into the fray.

'_There were supposed to be 15 fatalities in the 'explosions' that rocked the district, could Akane have missed out on the food and someone else got caught up in things instead?' _

Grabbing the two blondes' by their wrists he sent them flying then skidding across the floor.

'_No, I remember, we were the only ones there. Everyone had a piece or two, the chef made sure of that.'_

His swift feet propelled him out of the way of Motoko's barrage of thrusts. Catching hold of the tip just as Motoko began to pull it back, he used her momentum to slip past her blade. A skillful sweep knocked her feet out from under her, sending her sprawling.

'_If it's not her, than who the hell is that in the kitchen?'_ he asked himself. _'It can't really be a coincidence, right?'_

* * *

Every time she watched him Naru couldn't help but have her breath taken away. Though she knew that he wasn't the best, just watching him in motion like this proved to her just why it was the Martial Arts. He was poetry in motion flowing like a well written and performed dialog. Like a great leading man carrying the scene in a movie or on stage, Ranma elevated the performance and skills of those he fought or sparred with.

It was why she strove so hard to be able to spar with him. She knew that he held back against her when they sparred, but he still managed to push her and to help her as a martial artist. Yes, he wouldn't take her on as one of his students, but he did respect her for her drive and passion.

Though she'd seen him sparring virtually every morning and most Sundays, tonight he was in rare form. In minutes he'd worn down Motoko, Su and Sara. Even the addition of Keitaro and Shinobu hadn't changed things as the five of them were mere puppets moving to Ranma's ministrations.

"Amazing as always," a new voice cut in as Ranma helped Keitaro back to his feet.

"Konatsu," the younger Saotome returned. "Spar?"

"Sorry little brother, we've got other business."

Ranma nodded. "See you guys later," the pigtailed martial artist said, not even bothering to look at the other residents as he departed.

"Some boyfriend," Mei sighed. "He didn't even say good bye to you before he left."

"He's in the dojo," Naru explained. "It's always business first here."

With the sparring over, the remaining residents turned to the two newcomers.

"Naru," Motoko called out, "a word."

"Excuse me Mei," Naru said as she walked over towards the kendoka.

"Urashima?" Motoko asked as she glanced at the dorm manager.

"Just a second," the ronin replied. "Mutsumi, Shinobu, could you take our guest here to room 202?"

The kendoka glared at the ronin.

"Shinobu, could you show Mei around while I talk with Motoko?" Naru asked, breaking the tension.

"Sure."

The odd trio waited for the others to depart before anyone said anything.

"You're not seriously letting her stay here, are you?" Motoko demanded as she turned towards Keitaro.

"I understand your reservations," the ronin grumbled.

"She's a perspective tenant?" Naru asked.

Keitaro nodded. "Remember the train ride? Kitsune called."

Naru nodded. "What's the problem?"

"She claims to be Akane Tendo."

The stern look on Motoko's face said it all.

"She's not Ranma's Akane," Keitaro countered. "She just happens to share the same name and looks a lot like her." His point might have been valid but the way his voice trailed off left a distinct impression that even he wasn't completely confident in his argument.

Motoko was clearly not swayed as she stood firm. "Ranma said that she looks exactly like _that_ Akane Tendo."

"But she isn't," Keitaro replied. "She's from Waki, in the Yamaguchi Prefecture. She's a cram school student like us. She actually was staying at the dorm down the hill, you know, the one that burned down."

The other girls reluctantly nodded.

"Shouldn't you ask him about this?" Motoko asked.

Keitaro stood firm. "I will."

Relieved, the two women were sure that Ranma would reject the woman known as Akane Tendo.

"The truth is, I'm pretty sure she's lying," Keitaro admitted. "Sure, her story makes sense, but, I just have this feeling that she's not being completely honest with me."

He could feel the two women glaring at him.

* * *

The cold late autumn/early winter air felt invigorating to the master martial artist as he stood beside his adopted brother. The fighting/sparring hadn't helped him straighten out his thoughts though it had helped him calm his spirit as he projected his soul of ice.

"I got your text," Konatsu stated. "That was her?"

Despite his inner calm, the mere mention of that girl brought inner chaos.

"She does look like her," the ninja stated. "What do you know about her?"

Ranma shrugged, "Just her name so far. I haven't even talked to her yet."

"Are you going to be fine with talking with her, with being around her?"

He wanted to say yes, that he'd be fine. But the truth was he wasn't sure himself.

"Don't do anything rash," Konatsu advised. "Eishin and Takahata are on their way here to see if she's"

"Not who she says she is," Ranma finished. "Spring of Drowned Akane – that's the only thing I can think of."

"Hot water?" the ninja suggested.

"I'll see if I have a chance."

Konatsu nodded. "Take care little brother."

* * *

An unusual tension hung over the Hinata Sou. Dinner had proven uneventful despite the addition of two others to the table, leaving Ranma and Keitaro to enjoy their meal in the manager's room.

"You're sure you spilled hot water on her?" asked Ranma as he spoke with his lone student.

The young maiden nodded. "She also helped me wash the dishes afterwards. She didn't transform or anything. She's going into the onsen right now actually."

The young immortal nodded. He hadn't expected it to work really. If someone had gone to all the trouble of using the Spring of Drowned Akane just to screw with him they probably would have found a way to prevent themselves from being exposed so easily.

"Don't worry about Akane," said Ranma as he smiled at his student.

It didn't surprise him that the others turned to look at him.

"I could be wrong," he stated. "She might just happen to share the same name and face with the Akane I knew. I don't want you girls to hold that against her."

Reluctantly Shinobu nodded. She'd tell Motoko and Naru the same thing. Excusing herself, she gathered her things before heading down to the onsen.

"You're sure about this?" Keitaro asked.

Ranma nodded.

The other man eyed his friend, "I think she's not being completely honest with me."

"I know," he replied. "But if she's up to something it's better that we keep an eye on her here."

Keitaro nodded.

"No offense, but you're not the best liar," Ranma stated.

"So you don't want me in on this?"

Ranma shook his head. "I want you do what you normally do – just be yourself. I'll deal with Akane."

"And Naru?"

The pigtailed man froze. "She knows how I feel about her."

"That she does," Keitaro conceded. "But are you sure this won't complicate things?"

The other man repressed the urge to laugh. "Of course this complicates things."

Bravado and confidence, both were emotions that he was an expert at projecting. Though his emotions were astir, he could still appear to be calm and collected without actually feeling that way.

Retreating down to the dojo, Ranma found himself completing several various kata. It wasn't until everyone else had gone to sleep that he'd returned to his room. Despite the cold, frigid air, Ranma opted to use the onsen rather than the small private bath tub that he and Keitaro usually took turns using. Given the late hour he doubted that anyone would still be up.

His mind muddled by the events of the day he slipped into the hot water. Muscles long ignored by the laborious stress he'd imposed upon himself that day felt soothed by the hot liquid that he'd submerged himself in.

So distracted was he that he failed to pay any heed to the sound of the door to the baths as someone slide it open.

"Ranma?" Akane called out to him.

He hadn't spoke a word to her the entire night for good reason. Hearing her say his name caused a knot to form in his stomach.

"It's really you," Akane said.

Despite everything, he couldn't help but stand up and turn around.

The light of the quarter moon provided just enough light for him to see that she was standing there as naked as he was. Though they were several meters apart he could tell that it really was her body. But it was more than that. Everything about her screamed that she really was Akane Tendo. The way she stood with her hands tentatively covering her breasts and even the way she seemed to be fuming at walking in on him even though it was her fault – everything suggested that it was her.

"I-I've dreamed of you for two years," Akane said as she averted her eyes. "The entire world's gone mad."

"What happened?"

"I don't know," answered Akane. "All I remember was waking up two years ago. There were these Amazons that I didn't recognize standing there. They kept me shackled up. Then I remember some old women forcing me to eat something. I didn't want to, but I couldn't resist them. I felt sick, but then I got better.

"I managed to escape, but their village was on an island. You know how I suck at swimming."

Both of them smiled reluctantly. Despite her athletic ability, Akane did suck at swimming.

"I jumped off the cliff. I really didn't think I'd survive, but somehow I woke up on a beach in Yamaguchi. I couldn't believe the date of the first news paper I came across, but it all made sense."

This older, more mature Akane shed a tear, something that the old Akane that he knew had rarely done. Still, the thought of her crying hit him harder than any punch or kick he'd ever endured.

"The dojo's gone, my house is gone…. Everything and everyone I knew is gone," she sobbed.

"Not everyone," he muttered. He hadn't even realized it, but he suddenly found himself standing right before her. The feel of her warm body pressed against his own confirmed that this wasn't just another nightmare. "Ryoga's still around, he's married though."

"You don't look like you've aged a day since I last saw you," she sniffed. "You must have eaten the same thing."

Ranma blinked as Akane pushed him away.

A flash of silvery light reflected off of the blade in her hand. Before he could even move Akane slit her wrist. Opening his mouth to cry out, he found his body freezing as the wound quickly healed.

Dumbfounded, he could only stand there as she held her arm out for him to examine.

"I can't die," stated Akane. "This is why I survived drowning and being washed up on the shores of Yamaguchi. When I thought everyone else was dead I tried to kill myself only to discover that I couldn't die.

"And then I came across your name. I didn't think it was really you, but I had to see for myself. It really is you, isn't it?"

His mind was reeling even as it tried to process everything that she had said. Part of him wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, yet he couldn't.

"I'm sorry to interrupt such a touching moment," a foreign voice called out. "But I really must re-claim her."

Ranma and Akane spun around to face the mysterious speaker even as Ranma moved to shield her.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"That's none of your business," the speaker said as he emerged from the shadows.

The foreign man had white hair and stood nearly a head taller than Ranma. From the way he moved it was clear that he was a fighter of sorts. Every step screamed "Danger" yet Ranma refused to back down even as Akane cowered behind him. Wearing a long coat, the man eyed the two immortals.

"You can't beat him," Akane said, her voice trembling with fear. "Run!"

The dangerous man lashed out with a straight right.

The master martial artist parried the blow before connecting with a wicked jab that broke the man's nose, sending him reeling back.

Wiping his nose, the man smirked. "You must be the Ranma Saotome that she's been searching for."

"I am," Ranma said as he watched the man set his broken nose. "And I never lose."

The smile never left the foreign man's face as he rushed in again, this time with a left cross.

Expertly Ranma dodged even as he rushed in to kick the man in the face.

The sudden and unexpected explosion greeted Ranma as the man pulled out a sawed off shotgun only to unload it in Ranma's chest. Fiery pain lanced through his chest as hot lead knocked him off his feet and sent him flying.

"Ranma!"

A second shot rang out, punctuated by another cry of pain as Akane fell.

Fighting through the pain, Ranma forced himself onto his hands and knees.

"I may not be an immortal," the man stated as he grabbed Akane's now limp form and hosted it over his shoulder, "but I know how to incapacitate one. I'm sure you're going to want to come after me once you're healed, but who's going to save your friends?"

"What the hell did you do?"

"Not everyone who eats the flesh of a mermaid is granted immortality," the man stated. "I brought along a few of the failures. I doubt that your friends are as talented or resilient as you are."

* * *

The cloaked man watched as the mysterious man spirited the immortal known as Akane Tendo away. Grabbing his cane, he prepared to intervene.

"No," Dr. Tofu hissed.

"He's interfering with our mark."

"This is even better than anything we planned for Ranma."

The voluptuous mage shook her head. "Follow him discretely, but don't let Ranma or his allies know you're also chasing the same trail."

The well groomed man nodded before vanishing.

"This isn't part of your plan I take it."

Dr. Tofu shook his head. "I'd never be so crass as to use a shotgun against him."

* * *

Twin blasts woke the slumbering residents of the Hinata Sou. Though it wasn't unusual for explosions the late hour did concern Naru as she sat up. With her step-sister staying over for the night, she really didn't want the other residents to give such a bad impression on the young girl.

Her sleepy mind barely registered that Kage was barking down stairs. Rubbing her eyes, she eyed her sister.

"Is your boyfriend still practicing?" Mei asked as she sat up.

Having grown accustomed to the various distractions and chaos that erupted within the Hinata Sou, Naru simply yawned. With all that was going on, she'd barely had a chance to speak with Ranma since the cram school seminar earlier.

"Kage," Ranma called out, his powerful voice booming all the way up to the third floor, "my sword!"

The words wiped away all wiriness from her mind. Though Ranma was a master of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū he rarely ever used a weapon, often choosing to throw Motoko's bokken back to her so that she could fight at her full potential. But for him to call out to his loyal companion requesting his sword it meant that he was fighting something he couldn't defeat with his skills alone.

"What's going on Naru?" Despite her age, even Mei had picked up on the disturbance.

"Probably just a pervert trying to sneak into the Sou," Naru lied.

"Then why's your boyfriend calling for his sword?"

Yes, despite her age, Mei wasn't easily fooled. "Just stay in here."

"I wanna see," the younger girl insisted.

Before she could do anything to deter her, Mei rushed out of Naru's room. Though startled, Naru gave chase.

"Oh my!" Mutsumi exclaimed as she also exited her room, "What's all the commotion?"

With the voluptuous woman now in her way, Naru was forced to sidestep her friend, allowing Mei the second she needed to avoid her sister.

Mei couldn't help but wonder just what kind of trouble Ranma was getting into. Though she understood why Naru liked the guy, she still couldn't help but resent him for stealing Naru's heart and for keeping her away from her family.

"Mei!" Naru cried out from the top of the stairs just as Mei reached the second floor landing.

Before the younger Narusegawa sibling could even turn strong hands grabbed her shoulders, pinning her to the wall.

"I've got her Naru-sempai!" the surprisingly strong Shinobu called out.

Broken wood, feral snarls, and the sound of steel cutting through the air somehow made its way up the stairwell.

"Stay here," Keitaro ordered everyone. "If Motoko comes down tell her to stay with you. Have Su activate the security system."

"We've got a security system?" Mutsumi exclaimed from the landing between the second and third floors.

"Rankage and Mecha-Tama," Shinobu replied.

"Oh, right."

With a combat knife in hand, Keitaro bounded down the stairs. If Ranma had called for Kage to fetch his sword the ronin knew that it was serious. The faint smell of blood reached his nose. Unconsciously Keitaro unsheathed his blade. He'd never really used it, but he knew that sometimes he needed a weapon as well. Though the Urashima Fist focused primarily on empty handed fighting as must Karate schools did, the special combat knife worked well with his family's style.

The eerie darkness was full of shadows, each capable of hiding something sinister and deadly.

The sounds of fighting grew louder with each step as he rushed towards the lounge.

A titanic figure stood in the darkness, swatting at an unseen foe. The sound of keen steel cutting through hardened flesh and of gushing blood greeted Keitaro, announcing to his experienced ear that Ranma had managed to score a hit.

A second gigantic figure appeared to Keitaro's immediate right, prompting the ronin to quickly reverse the grip on his weapon before he slammed the deadly weapon into the creature's stomach. Well within the creature's reach, Keitaro quickly slammed his other hand against the slimy chest of the unseen beast, pushing off of it and extracting his weapon in one swift motion.

"Aim for the head!" Ranma shouted.

Keitaro barely managed to avoid the powerful swipe that he was sure would have crushed him had it connected. With is opponent's head now within his reach the ronin stabbed again. The feel of steel hitting bone and then piercing through bone rewarded him as he slammed the blade into the creature's head.

Powerful muscles spasmed and twitched as the Lost Soul died. A wayward hand slammed into Keitaro, knocking him free of the dying creature.

Rattled by the blow, Keitaro shook his head, trying to regain control of his dazed mind and body.

"That's all of them," Ranma declared.

"You're sure?"

"I trust Kage," the master martial artist stated.

The sudden return of the lights explained just why Ranma had required his rarely used blade. Six grotesque bodies littered the lounge, the seventh lay by the hallway by Keitaro. Body parts were strewn about and blood bathed the walls and ceiling.

Flabbergasted by the sight, Keitaro could only begin to imagine what had happened. "What happened?"

It took a moment for Keitaro to realize that Ranma was injured. Though the master martial artist was covered in blood, Keitaro had expected Ranma to be able to evade any attack. Clearly that wasn't true.

A deep set of bloody gashes as well as other injuries dotted his chest and torso. Teeth were still imbedded in his shoulder and neck and it looked like a severed hand was still clutching his ankle.

"You're still naked," Keitaro remarked.

"Yeah," Ranma grumbled, "I was in the onsen when that bastard came for Akane."

"Wait, what? What happened to Akane?"

"Some bastard got her!" Ranma growled. "It's her, it's really her! Cologne must have kidnapped Akane and switched in a fake somehow. That was Akane and that bastard took her!"

"Calm down!" Keitaro said as he grabbed hold of the other man's bloody shoulders. "Now tell me – what happened?"

* * *

The gentle light of the new day shone in the east, illuminating the newly refurbished lounge.

"You're going, aren't you?"

He didn't want to acknowledge her, but he knew he couldn't afford to. His heart was torn between the woman he loved now and the woman he had loved a decade ago, the woman he thought he'd killed. Gulping, he turned to the gentle brown eyes that shone with sadness.

"I love you," he said as he pulled her to him. Embracing her he held her tight. "But I need to get to the bottom of this. I… I can't move forward until I've settled this."

"It's really her then?"

He could hear the fear in her voice. It wasn't fear because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of losing him. "I… I think so."

"You're not going alone," a commanding voice declared.

Ranma smiled even as the woman in his arms trembled. "Don't worry, I've got Kage watching over me. And Ryoga too."

"Hey!"

"I thought you might get lost," the pigtailed man said in hopes of alleviating the tension in the air.

"You're not the only one going."

Ranma looked up at his adopted brother and his former fiancée.

"We owe it to you, and to Akane," said Ukyo, her voice firm with resolve.

"You're not the only one who's being left behind," the elegant Tsuruko stated.

Though he was the grandmaster of his school, Ryoga edged away from his wife.

"Thanks," Ranma said as he pulled away from Naru. "I'll be back, I promise."

* * *

Angry and tense were two words that few of the people who knew Ranma Saotome would ever use to describe him. Carefree, lighthearted, insane, irrational, relaxed, arrogant, conceited, and foolish maybe, but never angry or tense; yet those two words perfectly described the master martial artist as he and his companions followed the trail of Akane Tendo and her kidnapper.

After only a few hours of following the trail through the mountains behind Hinata the trail had been lost despite the keen noses of Kage and his kin. The surprisingly deep stream was laden with the freshly melted snow and rain that had fallen the previous week. Though they had followed the stream to where it turned into a river, no other signs or clues fueled their search. For two days they followed the river and its many branches until it reached the ocean.

"I can't believe he took her into the river," said Ukyo as she eyed the western horizon. "She can't even swim."

"You said that she woke up on the shores of Yamaguchi, right?" Ryoga asked for clarification. Though Ranma had shared with them all that he remembered of the incident in the onsen, they had continued to drill him for information and clarification.

The road wiry martial artist nodded. "Yeah, she said she woke up on an island where they kept her shackled…. An island! Of course, he's probably taking her back to their hidden island!"

Before anyone could say or do anything, Kage suddenly stood up. A cautious growl alerted the four master martial artists to the presence of a stranger. The fact that the master martial artists had failed to notice his approach put them all on their guard.

"Peace," the well groomed man stated as he held up his hands. Though he held a cane it was clear that he had not come to initiate a fight. Despite his cautious approach it was clear that he knew how to fight and that he was fairly powerful. "I come to speak with Ranma Saotome."

"What do you want," the slightly irritable immortal snapped.

"I offer the location of their island," the man said. Though he spoke clear and precise Japanese, the man spoke with an unusual accent. "But I cannot give you that information for free."

"What do you want?" Ranma repeated.

"I simply wish to have you in my debt," the man said. "Information in exchange of a future favor."

"Fine," Ranma snapped. "One favor."

"Ranma," Ryoga growled. "Don't make a deal with a demon."

"Ah, very perceptive," the man smirked. "But it's not for your soul or anything, I assure you. Just a simple favor; I won't even ask you to kill anyone."

"I said fine," the pigtailed martial artist repeated.

"Good," the demon posing as a man smiled. "Take this cane. It will transport you to their island so that you may do whatever it is you shall do. When you wish to return, just tap it against the ground."

"And the favor?" Ryoga demanded.

"When the time comes for me to settle his debt, the head on the cane will address him," the demon stated.

"What's your name?" Ranma asked. "I want to know the name of the man that I'm making a deal with."

Tossing the cane to Ranma, he smiled. "Call me Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman."

"Thank you Graf," said the immortal as he snatched the cane out of the air.

"Stay alive Ranma Saotome," the demon advised. "If you die before I can collect on your debt your soul is mine."

"Yeah," Ranma grunted, "that's what I figured."

"I'll be seeing you Ranma Saotome, take care."

In a flash the demon vanished, leaving the remaining members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew alone.

"That was unwise," Ryoga admonished.

"I'll deal with it," Ranma muttered. "You guys ready?"

The rare display of impatience unnerved the others. Still, they knew that they couldn't just let him go off on his own.

"Give us a minute," Konatsu stated. "We don't know what or where we're going to be."

* * *

The hot waters of the Hinata Sou's onsen helped relax the acting head of the Shinmeiryu's aching muscles. She couldn't help but be surprised at the sudden improvement that her sister showed, but what really impressed her was how far the once timid Shinobu and Naru Narusegawa had come under Ranma's tutelage. The last time she'd been at the Hinata Sou the girl had been shy and timid, but after a few months of daily training she was now showing significant improvement in her technique and stamina. The fact that Shinobu was now able to cover for Ukyo at Saotome's Grill was a testament to her skill as a cook. True, she lacked Ukyo's almost intimate knowledge of Okonomiyaki, but Shinobu was much more versatile as a chef.

Though Naru wore a smile, it was clear that she was the most stressed out by the situation. The fact that her lover was now chasing after a woman who wore the same face and used the same name as his former love should unsettle her. No one in their right mind could accept something like that so easily. Slowly the woman was starting to show the strain of her situation though.

Unfortunately offering support was not among Tsuruko's strengths.

"He loves you," Tsuruko stated once Su, Sara, and Kitsune had vacated the onsen.

"Huh?"

"Ranma," she clarified, "he truly loves you."

Seeing the blush on the other woman's face, Tsuruko smiled. "There was a time when I was afraid he would fall for Motoko actually."

It was Motoko's turn to blush at her sisters words.

"Ranma was raised to be a man amongst men," the elegant swordswoman stated as she leaned back in the onsen. "He and my husband were the fiercest of rivals, and yet they became good friends. Both of them loved Akane, and her loss upset them both. Sometimes, regardless of how happy you might be now, one must put everything aside to deal with ghosts from your past. That's what all of them are doing."

After days of bearing the burden herself she finally was able to give voice to her fears. "What if she really is his Akane? She hasn't aged like everyone else. She could well be an immortal like he is."

"She could be," Tsuruko ceded. "But you are the one that he loves. I know this because even though my husband has gone without me the look in his eyes as he told me that he would return. It was the same look that Ranma gave you when he left. I trust my husband. I believe in him. If you truly love Ranma than you should have as much faith in him as I have in my husband."

* * *

The humid air of the tropic island was a drastic departure from the late autumn/early winter that the four travelers had been experiencing. The rocky clearing was surrounded by sheer cliffs lined with a half dozen caves.

"Where are we?" asked Ukyo.

Ryoga stood up to look around. "Looks like Okinawa."

"Doesn't matter," Ranma said as he gripped the cane with one hand. "Guess the cane doesn't transport dogs."

"No, it doesn't," an unidentified speaker said, his voice booming so that it could cover the distance. "Pity."

"A trap!" Ryoga shouted as he immediately turned to face the speaker. In the shadows of the caves he could make out some movement.

The blond haired man stood confidently atop a sheer cliff twenty meters over head. "In a manner of speak-"

Before the man could finish talking Ranma had impaled him with the cane, a swift and accurate throw far too quick for the speaker's eye.

A bestial roar filled the air as the first of the towering monsters lumbered into the clearing.

In a flash Ranma unsheathed his sword. Dozens of Lost Souls emerged from the caves.

Legs pumping, Ranma rushed towards the injured man, heedless of the fact that there were now dozens of Lost Souls rushing towards him. His deadly blade cut a creature in half at the waist.

A barrage of deadly bandanas followed him, cutting through several Lost Souls. Chaos reigned as the ki enforced cloth cut a swath through the immortal beasts. Dodging a swipe, Ranma ran up the creature's arm. His swift feet landed on the creature's head before his legs propelled him through the air. Landing on high ground Ranma rushed at the injured man.

"Stop!" a familiar voice shouted.

For a moment Ranma expected to see Akane. But it wasn't Akane that he was looking at. Though she looked like Akane it was clear that she was older, if only by a few years. Akane, his Akane's hair barely came down to her shoulders and had fair, gentle skin. This woman had longer hair that came down just past her shoulders and had tanned skin.

"You're not Akane," he said, his mind failing to make the connections.

"You must be Ranma Saotome," said the woman as she stooped to help the injured man. "Please, stop. We don't mean any harm."

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I misjudged you," the blond man muttered. "I didn't think that Yuri had been correct in his assessment of you."

"Please, stop," the woman pleaded. "We're not immortal like you."

"Call off the creatures," Ranma growled.

"We can't," the woman pleaded. "Once they smell blood they come out."

"I…it looks like you're all better than I realized," the injured man grunted.

Ranma didn't need to turn around to see Ukyo, Konatsu, and Ryoga making their way out of the pit as they used their powerful muscles to escape not only the creatures but the pit that held them.

"Where's Akane; the real Akane?"

"She's not here," the older version of Akane replied. "She never was. Please, we didn't mean to harm you."

The normally even tempered martial artist scowled at the woman. "You set a trap for us."

"Because we thought you were with the mage," the injured man replied. "He followed Yuri when he came back from Japan. We normally don't deal with magic, but we did make it so that anyone who teleports to the island appears in the Pit."

"Why?" Ryoga demanded.

"Why? Because your people crave our flesh so that you can become like him," the woman replied. "But you only make more of them, the Lost Ones."

Something about her answer stuck in his mind as he processed everything. "You're not human, are you?"

The woman shook her head. "We are what you call merfolk."

* * *

Had he not seen the village with his own eyes Ranma would have never thought it possible. The entire village was full of people that either resembled his cursed form or Akane. The handful of men in the village all wore the same face. It was truly bizarre.

Two men stood beside the woman who appeared to be an aged Akane while a third lay on the ground as two identical redheads treated his wounds.

"So, you are _the_ Ranma Saotome," the woman said as she addressed Ranma and the others.

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

"The one who escaped, she called out your name."

"Her name's Akane Tendo," he said defiantly.

"She simply thinks she's Akane Tendo. Do I not look like your Akane Tendo? Do some of my sisters not appear similar to her?"

He knew he couldn't argue that point, not after seeing that nearly half of the women in the village looked just like Akane.

"Humans treasure our flesh because it can grant them immortality," the woman explained. "While we may be immortal, we also continue to age. To remedy this we eat the flesh of immortals, thus assuming their form and visage."

"And their youth," Ryoga concluded.

"Yes," confirmed the blond man to the right of the old woman. "But we realized that we couldn't continue this duel parasitic existence. Only one human in several thousand manages to become a true immortal, the rest become what we call the Failed Ones, or Lost Souls."

"How did you get Jusenkyo water?" Ryoga asked.

"Yuri," the woman said as she turned to the man to her left.

Though he looked identical to the injured man and to the other man guarding the elder, Yuri was very different from the others. His posture and stance was that of an experienced fighter. No, not just a fighter, but a predator.

"Whenever one of our sisters goes missing, I am tasked with searching for them," the man known as Yuri explained. "Several years ago I happened to encounter a woman from the Phoenix tribe. She told me of the cursed water that could help our village break the long traditions of having to prey on humans.

"In exchange for some of my own flesh the woman arranged for the village to some of the magic water transported to our island. With the water we are able to sustain our youthful visages by transforming a rat, bird, or some other creature into a human, giving us a nearly endless supply of subjects to feed our flesh to so that we can restore our youth."

It made sense. And it really wasn't hurting anyone. Still… "But," Ranma muttered, "what about Akane?"

"Most of the girls that are created act like the creatures that they were before being transformed," the woman explained. "She was a sea turtle before she was transformed. Her first instincts upon being turned were to rush for the safety of the sea, but when she got there she couldn't swim.

"Yuri saved her, but while she was asleep we gave her a bit of our flesh. She happened to be one of the few who didn't turn or die after consuming our flesh, so we kept her. Unfortunately the trauma of eating our flesh combined with her apparent drowning awoke in her the dormant memories of the girl who was drowned in the cursed spring."

A swirl of emotions threatened to consume him as he listened to the mermaid's tale. His mind was reeling as he tried to process everything. "What happened to her?"

"We did what our people do," answered Yuri. "We fed her to our sisters."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave it at that for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes –

Hmmm, Harry Potter…

* * *

The gently falling snow failed to keep the couples off the streets as hordes of couples amassed on the various shops, cafes and other businesses. Despite the romantic air of the evening Naru couldn't help but feel that her date wasn't enjoying the moment.

In the day since he and the other master martial artists had returned none of the fighters had spoken of their recent quest. A somber mood had filled the Hinata Sou whenever anyone tried to pester Ranma for any information, leaving the usually carefree and happy-go-lucky man feeling uncharacteristically serious.

It wasn't that the date hadn't been enjoyable thus far, no, far from it, but the fact that he hadn't spoken about what happened during the four days that he and the others had vanished was eating at her. He'd left chasing after a woman that for all reasons and purposes was his late fiancée. That in and of itself was disconcerting.

Though he smiled, Ranma retained the subdued demeanor that he'd adopted since his return. It wasn't until dinner that she realized just what was wrong. His smile was right, but the usual gleam in his eyes was missing.

It didn't help that Mei was still around and that she'd refused to go home even when her father and step-mother had shown up. Instead Mei had insisted on living at the Hinata Sou, stating that Naru had been allowed to live there when she'd been no older than Mei and that it had done her wonders.

Things at the Sou were lukewarm as always. Then again, both of them had agreed to not be affectionate in front of the others, a sentiment re-enforced by the fact that Keitaro and Mutsumi were completely opposite of that stance. It was only on their dates that they allowed themselves and each other to display their affections. Simple actions like holding hands, kissing, or even the occasional grope and the resulting playful punch were generally reserved for their time outside the Sou, usually when they were on a date or on their way back from their cram school seminars.

But Ranma's recent adventure had taken much of their time together away from them.

Still, it felt nice to be with him again, even if he was slightly out of it.

Despite Ranma's prowess as a martial artist, there were a few things that even he wasn't good at. The multitude of crane games were one of his short comings and Dance-Dance Revolution was another. Yes, he could hit the proper steps/buttons, but for some reason he always looked extremely foolish doing so. Fortunately he made up for both by being exceptionally good at the festival games of popping balloons, catching fish, and other feats of skill. And then there was Karaoke. Though he'd started out with several uninspired performances, he'd slowly gotten better with each song as his confidence (and his score) increased.

By the time that they had stopped for some tea, Naru nearly forgot about Ranma's absence over much of the week.

"We're being watched," stated Ranma as he held Naru's hand. "I think it's Su, Sara and Mei."

For a moment Naru was taken back.

"I think your little sister's worried about you."

"Only because I'm worried about you," said Naru. "You"

"Haven't been the same," he finished. "I know."

The auburn haired woman smiled. She knew that he wasn't an eloquent speaker despite his apparent intelligence. Sure, he could break down a spin kick by style, physical capabilities of the kicker, and gage its effectiveness in various situations, but he couldn't talk about his feelings.

"I'll be alright," Ranma said as he smiled at his lover. "I just needed sometime."

His blue eyes locked with her amber ones. "She's alive," he stated. "It's a long story."

Naru gulped, steeling herself as she prepared to listen to his story.

"She's immortal, but she's not the Akane I knew. She's a product of the spring of Drowned Akane," he explained. "She suffered some trauma and the part of Akane that resides in her took over the body, or something like that."

The auburn haired girl nodded.

"She agreed to have her memories erased, and she's going to be staying somewhere."

"Where?"

Ranma shrugged, "Ryoga might know, but we agreed that it would be best that I don't know."

Naru nodded.

"It doesn't matter," he said confidently. "I've moved on. I've got you."

The gentle twinkle in his eyes returned for the first time in days, reassuring Naru. His infectious smile sent a wave of warmth through her. For the first time in days she felt the some of the weight of their situation slide off of her shoulders.

"So, should we lose them?" Ranma grinned.

Naru smirked. "Yeah."

With the bill for their light meal paid, the two lovers exited the café before finding a good place to blend into the crowd. It didn't take them long to lose their tails, not with Ranma's unbelievable skill and speed. Slipping into a secluded grove in a nearby park, Naru found herself pressed against Ranma as he made sure that Su, Sara, and Mei had passed them by.

Her amber eyes gazed into his striking blue ones.

"Naru," he said breathlessly.

Despite having been placed in similar situations recently, she couldn't help but gulp as she felt his warm breath caress her skin. "Yes?"

"The truth is," he muttered. "Something happened. I can't go into specifics, but I made a deal with a demon."

His admission hadn't been what she'd expected. Stunned, she could only stand there in shocked silence.

"I promised him a favor in exchange for a favor," the master martial artist explained.

"Was it worth it?"

He paused, unsure of himself. "I… I don't know. I don't even know if what we did in the end was the right thing. But all I can do is keep moving forward. I can't allow my past to dictate my decisions any more. But I might end up doing something stupid because of the agreement I made."

Naru lay her head against his shoulder. "Idiot."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I get that a lot. But you love idiots."

Despite her supposed intelligence she really couldn't dispute his claim. "I guess that makes me an idiot as well."

Ranma smiled. His soft lips caressed the nape of her neck, his warm breath sending a shiver of pleasure through her body.

Pinned against a tree and her lover, Naru pulled back just far enough to kiss him passionately. But it wasn't the usual passionate kiss that usually marked the beginning of things to come. Ranma's usual kisses were passionate, but almost calculated as his tongue teased her or he nibbled on her lip, stimulating her just right to increase her pleasure.

No, his kisses were passionate and sensual as though he wanted to stimulate her even as he enjoyed her lips and mouth. This subtle change in attitude aroused her like nothing before. Though she was normally very vocal whenever they had sex, she found herself panting for breath as he gave himself to her.

She didn't even realize what she was doing until a rush of cold air hit her moist womanhood as she hiked her skirt. For a moment she was glad she'd taken Kitsune's advice and opted to go panty-less.

Sensing her readiness, Ranma ran his fingers through her long auburn locks as he pulled her into a deeper kiss.

Her now expert hands quickly freed his throbbing manhood from his pants and boxers before guiding him to her threshold. Giving him free reign, she slipped her hands up the back of his shirt as she clasped onto his powerful shoulders. Hooking one leg over his hips she offered herself to him.

"I love you," he whispered as she pulled back to catch her breath.

"I love you too."

She shuddered as he impaled her. Feeling him fill her up she lifted her other leg over his hip before locking her legs behind his back.

The usual thrusting was gone, leaving him buried deep inside of her as he pressed her against the tree. Gentle, sensual thrusts stroked her inner fire as he continued to kiss her lovingly. His powerful hands caressed her firm buttocks while also offering her support.

His sudden and unexpected gasp and grunt broke their kiss as his body went rigid. She could feel him unloading into her. For the first time he came before she did. Yet the feel of his infertile seed spilling into her brought her to her own climax.

Her usual orgasms left her breathless and panting, leaving her physically satisfied. This time she felt emotionally satisfied as her lover gave himself to her completely. For the first time he didn't hold back.

"I love you," she muttered. Sighing contently, she tightened her grip on him, refusing to let him go.

Ranma smiled, his breath surprisingly labored. "I love you too."

* * *

It wasn't rare for _Saotome's Grill_ to be completely empty. Though it was a renown restaurant that catered primarily to martial artists, few came to Saotome's on Christmas Eve. As the ones who had covered for the absent owners it was no surprise that Shinobu and Motoko were present but the fact that Ryoga, Tsuruko, and Seta were also present hinted at something larger.

For hours the three remaining members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew told the others of their recent adventure and the ultimate outcome.

"He what?" Motoko exclaimed.

Shinobu could only blink in astonishment as she tried to process what she'd heard Tsuruko tell them. "Wait, why are you telling us this now?"

"Shouldn't you have told us this before?" the younger Aoyama finished.

"Ranma, no," Ryoga shook his head. "We all had difficulty accepting what happened on our trip. It took me a few days to admit to Tsuruko what happened."

"Why did you let him"

Konatsu shook his head and held up his hand, cutting of Motoko's outburst. "It was his decision to make. We all went on this journey knowing that we'd follow his lead."

"Just like how it used to be," Ukyo added.

"And if I know Ranma," Ryoga sighed, "he's told Naru by now."

"He never was one to work through his feelings too quickly," commented Tsuruko. "But this definitely beats his decade on the mountain.

"All this means is that the Shinmeiryu and the Association cannot trust Ranma until his debt is paid. If he owes a demon a favor he cannot be trusted."

Motoko glanced at her sister then at Ryoga.

"That means that Ranma and I cannot share information from our school with yours and vice versa," Ryoga stated. "Unless you trust us."

"Though you've matured in the decade that I've known you," Tsuruko said as she eyed her husband, "Ranma is still reckless and brash – I'm sure he didn't even think about the consequences of the deal he made, much less that it was with a demon."

"I'm not so sure about that," Konatsu interjected. "Ranma's much smarter than most people give him credit for. He might be rash and quick to agree to something, but he knows what he's getting into."

"Usually," Ukyo ceded. "Things usually work out for the best with Ranma. Usually."

Though she'd managed to keep quiet for much of the conversations, Shinobu couldn't help but speak up in defense of her sensei. "Ranma-sensei has a good heart. He may not be as empathetic as Keitaro, but he generally knows when someone is a good person or not. I trust him."

Slowly the others nodded. Though Ranma might be brash at times, he usually had his heart in the right place.

* * *

After two hours of unsuccessfully trying to locate Ranma and Naru, the trio of young Hinata Sou residents had finally decided to call it a night. It didn't help that the weather had gotten colder as the night wore on or that everywhere they looked there were people, well, couples really, everywhere.

"I don't see what she sees in him," Mei muttered as she settled into her seat.

"I do," Sara remarked. "I didn't like him at first, but he's actually pretty cool."

Mei eyed the younger girl, curious about their insights. As the newest resident she clearly knew Ranma the shortest amount of time.

"Ranma's dependable," Su stated. "Just like Seta and Keitaro."

Sara shook her head. "Keitaro's not as dependable, but he's gotten better with Ranma showing him the way."

Su nodded.

"But he just left her alone for most of the week," Mei protested. "What kind of boyfriend does that?"

"It's because he's responsible," Sara retorted. "Papa loves me, but he's got to go away at times too. It doesn't mean he doesn't love me, just that he's doing his best for me and sometimes that means that I can't be with him."

"But that's different!" the younger Narusegawa exclaimed. "He's your dad, he has to be responsible. Ranma's younger than Naru"

"Actually, Ranma's older than Naru," a new voice interjected.

The three girls turned around, their eyes locked on Shinobu. Though she was younger than Su, Shinobu radiated an air of maturity that the young princess lacked.

"But, but," Mei stammered.

"He looks younger, but he's actually older," explained Shinobu. "It's a martial arts trick that all the really skilled masters can do. The founder of Ranma's style lived to be 300, and he supposedly didn't look his age until he turned 100 or so."

"That's impossible," Sara exclaimed. "He'd have to have set a world record for being the oldest guy alive."

"You have to remember, it's hard to prove because they didn't have birth certificates," Su pointed out. "But it's possible that a grandmaster could live that long. Some of the old sages were said to be in their hundreds without appearing to be that old."

Shinobu nodded. "I don't know how old sensei is, but he's older than he looks."

Storing the new information, Mei sat back in the couch.

"Don't think too much about it," another new voice suggested.

"Papa!"

"Sara," he returned as the younger blond rushed into his arms.

Seeing the other girl greeting her father, Mei felt a slight twinge of regret.

"Seta," a familiar voice greeted, "I didn't think you'd make it for the holidays."

"Ranma," the older man smiled. Shifting his daughter into his arm, Seta shook Ranma's hand.

"Seta," the auburn haired girl greeted with a smile.

"Naru," he returned. "You've grown; matured."

The unusual compliment brought a slight blush to the young woman's face.

"Naru," Mei exclaimed as she rushed to greet her sister.

"Hurry up Mei," the auburn haired girl returned, "we're going to need to hurry if we want to make it home."

The younger Narusegawa blinked. "We're going home?"

"You wanted me to go see our parents for the holiday, right?" Naru asked. "We wrapped out our date early just so that I could go."

"Yay!" Su exclaimed. "I'll go help you!"

"Why don't you go with her?" Seta suggested.

The younger blond nodded. Despite her age, she knew that her father wanted some time alone with the other adults.

"Shinobu," Ranma said as he caught the look that Seta threw him, "do you need help with the dinner?"

The unusual question caught the two remaining girls off guard.

"Sure," the student replied, leading her sensei out of the lounge.

For the first time in a long time Naru was alone with her former crush.

"I didn't realize how much you've grown," her former tutor stated. "It was only a few years ago that you were very much like your sister, very naïve and tentative, afraid of the world. But now you're a radiant young woman. I like to think that I helped, but most of it was because of Ranma."

Naru couldn't help but blush at the realization that she had changed. Despite her former crush's words though she couldn't help but feel that there was something even he was hesitant to say. "It's about Ranma's deal, right?"

Seta nodded. "Ranma is a good man," he stated. "He has good intentions and he clearly loves you very much. But there's a saying, 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.'"

Naru gulped.

"You're an adult now, but be careful."

The young woman nodded. "I will."

* * *

Months of working hard to master new skills allowed Shinobu to work almost effortlessly and silently in the kitchen. Despite the fact that she was the student, the kitchen was still her domain. With Ranma's help dinner was completed in record time.

"You're an idiot," she found herself saying as she set the wok in the sink.

Ranma shrugged. "The deal with the demon?"

"Yes."

The master martial artist smiled. "You know, when I first came here you would never had been able to express yourself like that."

"Don't turn this on me," the surprisingly assertive girl exclaimed.

The master martial artist nodded. "Don't worry about it," he sighed.

That had not been the reaction she expected.

"Did they get to the part where we encountered the mermaids?" he asked.

Tentatively she nodded.

"I wanted to kill them," he said. "I wanted to scream at them, tell them that they were murdering her every time they ate one of their immortal creations. But then I realized, I don't have a right to judge them; at least not in regards to how we judge other humans.

"I remember once fighting against the Musk, this tribe from China. They used to capture powerful beasts – tigers, dragons, apes – anything, and then they would turn those creatures into women then lock their curses. Do you know why they did that?"

Shinobu shook her head, though she suspected the truth.

"They mated with the girls/women that were once animals so that they could pass on the various strengths and traits that those creatures had. They never thought of their 'women' as real women, only as a means to strengthen their village and people. It was something that they did to survive.

"They could have just captured Amazon girls and forced them to breed, but they knew that it was wrong to force someone to do something they didn't want to do. Even though they look human, they aren't really human. Just like even though Ryoga sometimes looks like a pig he really isn't one, or how I used to be in a girl's body but was still a guy inside.

"I can't condemn them for what they're doing," Ranma finally said. "They're trying to be humane about it – would you rather that they capture girls or boys, feed them mermaid flesh, and then consume them?"

Shinobu shook her head. She hadn't thought about it that way.

"Besides," Ranma sighed. "They didn't kill her. That Akane Tendo wasn't dead, like Yuri tried to get us to believe."

The young maiden looked up, surprised.

"Yuri told them that to test us," the pigtailed immortal explained. "He wanted to see if we'd let our emotions get the better of us. Once their elders realized that we weren't going to get violent with them they allowed me to see her.

"It took most of the day for me to explain to her what had happened to her. In the end she agreed to have her memory erased so that she wouldn't have any of Akane's memories."

"But, but she loved you."

Ranma sighed. "I loved her too. But I moved on. The Akane Tendo I know died. She's just a phantom given physical form."

For a moment master and student stood in silence.

"It's not a decision that I expect any of you to understand," said Ranma. "I told Naru. She doesn't understand, but she accepts and respects my decision."

"That's why Naru's going home"

Ranma shook his head, "No, she promised to go with Mei. But it will give her some time to think about things."

The young maiden felt her head spin as she tried to process everything. Adult relationships really were confusing.

"Anyways, since my date got cut short, wanna go out to a movie?"

* * *

In twenty years of life Keitaro Urashima had never had a Christmas Date. Come to think of it, last Christmas he'd been on the run as he'd promised to leave the Hinata Sou after scoring badly on the mock exam. If not for Naru's intervention and the fact that the girls had grown on him in the months he'd been there he probably would have left.

His situation then was in fact very similar to Ranma's current predicament. Then again, Ranma had managed to get Naru and Motoko to warm up to him relatively quickly where as Keitaro had to work hard just to earn their approval. Then again, he had set the ground work for Ranma to follow.

Still, everything had worked out. Naru was with Ranma, and Keitaro was now with Mutsumi. Yes, things had worked out very well.

The vision of beauty before him had surpassed even his impressive imagination. Ranma had been right: the larger coat size covered her ample bust and a simple belt allowed her to reveal the true curves of her full figure as well as accent the festive coat.

Keitaro had to admit that seeing her open her coat to reveal that she was wearing nothing underneath was very erotic.

Yes, he was definitely glad he'd purchased that coat for her.

* * *

Christmas had proven to be uneventful for her for yet another year. The lack of a formal and proper Christmas party at the Hinata Sou was due to the fact that both owners and managers of the Sou had taken their respective girlfriends out on dates. Add in the fact that Naru and Mei had left to spend part of the holiday break with their parents, Seta had taken Sara skiing, and that left only a few residents around. It also didn't help that Ranma had taken his only student out on a late date once Naru and Mei had left, leaving Motoko with Kitsune and Su.

"Have some," Kitsune suggested as the drunkard poured another cup of heated sake.

"No thank you," the kendoka replied. After an hour of being polite she'd started to get a bit edgy.

"Su?"

"She's underage!" Motoko protested.

"So?"

Opening her mouth to protest she found herself unable to say anything as the clay cup was pressed to her lips. Warm liquid slipped past her lips sending a wave of fire down her throat.

Instinctively she coughed, spewing out some of the warm sake.

Having never ingested or consumed alcohol before the kendoka never realized how intolerant of the substance she was as the alcohol hit her stomach.

"So," Kitsune grinned as she turned to focus on Su, "want some?"

* * *

It wasn't as though she'd never gone out on a date before, but her… outing with Ranma had proven to exceed even her modest expectations. The brief date she'd had with Kensaku had been little more than just dinner and a failed attempt by the boy to kiss her. Had he not smoked in front of her she might have let the roguish boy kiss her, but, well, smoking was such a turn off for her.

The short excursion to the café and then to see a movie had been refreshing as well as unexpected. Usually Ranma was all about martial artist, but this time there was none of that. No, this time the conversation was all about school and her future aspirations. It really did feel like a real date.

"You're sure that Naru-sempai is okay with this?" Shinobu asked as they returned to the Hinata Sou.

The confident martial artist smiled, "Of course. She's not the same Naru Narusegawa who would beat up Keitaro whenever she felt threatened. We're both mature adults and we trust each other."

A befuddled look appeared on his apprentice's face.

"It's about trust," he explained. "Trust in each other, faith in each other, and confidence in ourselves."

Shinobu nodded. Perhaps adult relationships weren't as complicated as she expected.

"Sometimes," he said sagely, "you just have to relax and enjoy life."

The sound of merriment greeted their ears as student and master returned to their home.

"Ranma!" the resident drunk screeched at the top of her voice. "Ranma's a real man! I'd take him over Keitaro any day!"

"Looks like Kitsune's had too much to drink," Shinobu sighed.

"Or not enough."

The young maiden chuckled.

"Speak of the devil!"

Both martial artists paused. Exchanging a look then dashed into the Sou. "Motoko!"

"I like Keitaro!" an aged Su proclaimed.

Ranma's jaw hit the floor. He couldn't help but feel that he'd seen this version of Su before somewhere even though she wore a shirt five sizes too small and a skirt that barely covered her modesty. "This isn't good."

"Ranma," Motoko slurred. "Join us!"

It was no surprise for them to see the kendoka not wearing her gi and hakama as Motoko had taken to not wearing the outfit while relaxing with the others but seeing her wearing the curtains was shocking. The only normal thing was that Kitsune was clad only in lacy black lingerie.

"Shinobu!" Su exclaimed. "Have some!"

Before the astonished girl could even ponder what was going on Su had stuffed a mushroom into the girl's mouth. Startled, she swallowed, prompting her immediate transformation into a now 20something woman.

"No!"

The sudden shift from 14 year old girl to 20something woman did not sit well with her as her silky blouse was strained by her unexpected growth spurt. Budding A-cups were now threatening to not just spill out of her blouse but to rip the buttons off. "My blouse!"

Thinking quickly, Ranma quickly covered his student with his coat.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

The bright light of the new morning was no friend to Mitsume Konno, especially after going on a bender as she'd done the night before. The woman nicknamed Kitsune liked to drink, and she often found herself slightly hung over in the mornings, but for her to get that drunk meant that she'd had much more to drink than usual.

Unwilling to open her eyes and subject herself to more intense pain wrought by the light of day, the busty woman reached for her blanket in hopes of being able to shield herself from the light. Though she felt the warm fabric against her bare skin, she felt an unexpected weight pinning her blankets down.

Even her alcohol addled mind knew that that wasn't a normal.

Hazy visions of the previous night filled her mind as she tried to recall all that had happened.

From the feel of her lower lips it was clear that the man laying beside her had given her something she'd gone a long time without, and repeatedly. Clearly she'd enjoyed his company… but who the hell was he?

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed as something clicked. "Oh fucking shit!"

* * *

In her seventeen years of life Motoko Aoyama had never indulged in the pleasures of alcohol. But after the previous night she understood why. The bright light of the late morning shone into her eyes, berating her for her overconsumption of alcohol.

If this was how Kitsune felt every morning than Motoko no longer begrudged the older woman for drinking in the mornings. After all, the best way to kill a hangover was to drink more, right?

The foreign bed and blankets made her slumber all the less enjoyable, but drunk as she apparently was the previous night she hadn't cared. The warm bodies beside her had apparently been enough to draw her to the bed.

Wait, bodies?

No, that didn't make sense. Sure, Su was known to slip into her bed at night, and sometimes Sara joined her, but Sara was on holiday with Seta.

Cautiously, she reached to her side, her hand landing on a full, firm breast_. 'Kitsune?'_ Shifting her weight she grabbed the person to her other side, also finding her hand on the soft, silky skin that could only belong to the underside of a woman's breast.

The feel of the warm sheets against her skin told her that she was naked. But something crusty lay between her legs. No, that wasn't right, something was protruding from her…

"Oh shit!" Kitsune exclaimed. "Of fucking shit!"

A stabbing pain lanced her brain as her eyes shot open. Sitting up, Motoko didn't bother to cover her chest. Chest – not breast!

"RANMA!"

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave it there for now.

Happy Turkey Day!

Dreamingfox


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Notes –

Thanks to all those who have read and reviewed this fic. I'm glad you all enjoy the fic, especially those who hate the pairing of Ranma x Naru.

I have to admit that I liked Young Justice. It's interesting, and I can see why Cartoon Network didn't go with Teen Titans since they already had a cartoon by that name.

Anyways, please Read and Review.

* * *

The chill of the early winter greeted the two watchers as they eyed the grand old building that stood atop the plateau.

"I see your friend is not longer with you," the cloaked man said as he eyed the busty woman.

"It appears he did not like how you secured Ranma's services," the raven haired woman replied.

"All we needed was one favor, right?" the well groomed man asked.

The mage eyed the demon. "They're going to be watching him; how is that going to help us?"

"Just give it some time," he suggested. "The problem with you humans is that you're so impatient."

"Not all of us are as long lived as you."

The well groomed demon stood his ground, not bothering to look at the woman. "You do know why he's after Ranma, right?"

"He'll serve his purpose," she replied. "Even if he's not with us any longer; it's better that he doesn't know about our true objectives."

The demon stood tall over the mage.

"Right now I need you to go to England," she ordered.

"You've found him?"

"I'm sure he'll show up," she replied. With a casual wave of her hand a scroll appeared before her. Floating it over to the demon she eyed him. "Just follow the instructions and meet up with your reinforcements."

* * *

Hangovers were a completely new experience for Motoko Aoyama. Then again, considering that she was currently a he everything was a new experience.

A flood of memories filled her mind as she glanced at the completely nude Kitsune. Though she'd seen the busty woman topless before, the sight of her completely nude aroused the kendoka. But arousal was different in this body. It wasn't just a feeling of warmth of excitement but something completely unfathomable as her, um, his penis became engorged as blood flowed to the appendage. Unfamiliar sensations flooded his already addled mind even as he fought to reign in the throbbing sensation in his head.

Visions of the busty woman straddling him, her ample breasts bouncing as she rode him hard; of the feel of her womanhood enveloping his virgin manhood caused a swirl of conflicting emotions into Motoko's head as he tried to process everything that had happened.

'_Do I like girls now?'_ Motoko asked her, um, himself. _'Well, I'm a guy, I should like women. It'd be wrong if I didn't like and appreciate a beautiful woman's body, and Kitsune's a beautiful woman… with large breasts…'_

The sound of shuffling feet greeted the startled and conflicted sex-changing kendoka.

"Yo," Ranma muttered from the other side of the door. "Everyone decent?"

"You could always join us," the sultry Kitsune teased. "But just make sure you bring a Bloody Mary or two. Or three."

"We're indecent," Motoko shouted. "Wait, how do you know we're in here?"

"Motoko?" the pigtailed martial artist asked from the other side of the door.

"Cover up!" the kendoka exclaimed. "You too!"

"Why don't you, um, all get dressed," Ranma suggested. "I'll get some hot water."

'_Hot water?'_ Motoko pondered, her, um, his mind still a few steps behind everything that was going on.

Finding his clothes was harder than he realized. It didn't help that clothes were strewn around Kitsune's room, not all of them belonging to the older woman. It was clear which clothes were Su's as the aged girl had worn her usual outfit even though it had been several sizes too small last night.

Then again, that hadn't lasted too long considering that Kitsune had offered several outfits for the aged Shinobu and Su to try on. The drunken impromptu fashion show had turned into a strip show before Ranma had excused himself.

By the time Ranma returned with some hot water and a fresh pot of hot coffee, Motoko had managed to find his gi and hakama. Though his clothes felt slightly tight, they managed to cover him.

"What the hell happened last night?" Motoko demanded.

Not bothering to answer the kendoka's question, Ranma splashed Motoko with a cup of hot water, triggering the transformation that returned her to her true body.

"I don't remember everything," Ranma muttered. With deliberate care he poured himself a cup of the bitter black brew. "All I remember was returning to the Sou with Shinobu and then…"

"Kitsune kept forcing us to drink," a slightly haggard looking adult Shinobu grumbled.

Though everyone except perhaps Mei knew that magic existed Su, Mutsumi, and Kitsune remained unaware of Ranma's curse or the details of his time in Nerima.

"Why the Hell do you have cursed water?" Motoko demanded. Though her voice was light, it reverberated in the skulls of the others causing all but Ranma to shriek away from her.

"Technically, I don't," Ranma muttered. It didn't help that she was shouting. From the looks of things it was clear that almost everyone there was hung over and her loud voice wasn't helping the situation. "The stuff you got last night is only a one shot deal – it turns you into a male version of yourself"

"Until you're splashed with hot water," Kitsune finished as a shard of memory was revealed. "We… I tried to get you guys drunk, but you" she pointed to Motoko "wouldn't let them stay in their undersized clothes…"

"So we came up here," Ranma muttered, his own memory starting to return to him as he gulped down a mouthful of the hot coffee. "You had plenty of clothes for them"

"Lots of costumes," Motoko muttered. "You even wanted me to try some one."

"It beats the curtains you were wearing," Kitsune snickered.

"Why were you wearing curtains?" inquired Shinobu as she turned to the blushing kendoka. Taking the pot of coffee she poured out a cup for herself and Su.

"I doubt it's less embarrassing than everything else that happened," Ranma guessed.

For a moment Motoko considered just leaving, but her own curiosity about the blanks in her memories from last night kept her from doing so. "None of this leaves this room," she muttered, mustering up the best serious glare she could under the circumstances. Despite the fact that she wasn't able to speak too loudly, sound of her voice hammered their brains, sending a throbbing pain through the skulls of the gathered residents.

"I could just tell them," suggested Su as she accepted the coffee that Shinobu offered her. "But I won't."

Ranma and Shinobu glanced at each other.

"Sure."

"Yeah."

"We were playing strip poker," the kendoka stated. "Punishment poker or something like that."

"Which was part of the reason why you all had to wear various costumes," Kitsune explained as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"And…" Motoko said hopefully as she clung to the possibility that nothing had happened.

"After you chased Ranma out," the unexpectedly chipper woman grinned as she shot Motoko a glance, "Ranma said something about you needing to be a man to truly understand them. Once you agreed to let him change you…"

The kendoka blushed.

"Yeah," Ranma muttered, unabashed about his role in the way things had gone the previous night. "I'd, um, rather not know what happened after that. That's, um, between you three."

His young apprentice blushed.

"I think we should leave them to sort things out," he added as he sat up.

Shinobu nodded. It already was much, much more than she needed to know.

* * *

He couldn't help but think that there were times when he just didn't want to know things. As the saying went 'Ignorance was bliss' and when it came to what Motoko and Kitsune (and possibly Su) had done after he'd gone to sleep, well, Ranma preferred to remain ignorant.

"Shouldn't we"

Ranma shook his head, cutting off his student. "If Motoko wants advice about changing like that she knows where I am," he said as he scrubbed down the floor of the dojo.

"But"

"Right now she's dealing with… well, whatever happened last night between him, er, her and, um, Kitsune…" Ranma shook his head. Even though he'd seen Motoko as a man, Ranma couldn't help but envision her in her true form kissing Kitsune.

Again he shook his head, forcing away all of those visions out of his mind's eye.

Forced to live the rest of his life in the body of a 17 year old he knew full well the appeal of two beautiful women kissing each other.

'_No,'_ he shook his head, trying to repress his arousal at the idea of the two women together.

For a moment he forgot where he was and who he was with.

"Ranma?"

"Huh?"

"You were shaking your head."

"It's nothing," he lied.

Not willing to express her concerns, Shinobu nodded silently.

* * *

Keitaro couldn't help but feel thankful for the unexpected cold spell that had forced him and Mutsumi to seek shelter in the love hotel. True, they had been headed there anyways, but it gave them a convenient excuse to remain in there over night never envisioning the chaos that occurred in his absence.

As empathic as he was, even he had no idea of the true depth of the situation. "Ranma?"

"Huh?"

With all that had happened since Christmas the ronin had little time over the past few days to speak with any of his tenants or the other man as both men helped the newest resident get adjusted to her new room. It didn't help that the two men were doing the bulk of the heavy lifting as they helped the Narusegawa siblings settle in.

"Something's up with Motoko," the ronin stated.

Ranma would have shrugged had he not been carrying Mei's new desk.

"She just up and left for Kyoto," the ronin grumbled. "At least Naru left with Mei just to visit their parents and get her things before she moved here."

"I'll talk to her," sighed Ranma. "Just leave it to me."

Despite the fact that he was a master martial artist, Ranma knew that he wasn't the most eloquent of speakers. Still, it was something that he knew he'd need to work on and improve if he really wanted to be a better in general. As much as he hated to admit it, Happosai and now Ryoga were both skilled orators.

Working in relative silence Ranma and Keitaro finished moving Mei's furniture and boxes of clothes. Leaving the Narusegawa siblings alone the two men went their separate ways – Keitaro to clean while Ranma headed down to the dojo.

It wasn't until nearly dusk that Motoko finally returned. Fortunately for her none of those who knew of her shame were around to heckle her, allowing her to retreat to the dojo. "I knew you'd be here."

Ranma nodded. "Kage."

The intelligent canine stood up and quickly exited the dojo, guarding the door to ensure a moment of privacy for the two martial artists.

"How'd things go with your sister?"

The kendoka's face was flush with a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and frustration. "Tsuruko was… amused. I'm sure that she's told her husband, your grandmaster, and he's enjoying a laugh."

Ranma refrained from smirking. "You do know that he turns into a black piglet, right?"

The kendoka blinked.

"I guess not," he sighed. "Don't tell anyone."

The slender girl nodded.

"The thing is, just because he turns into a pig doesn't mean that he becomes a pig up here," he explained as he pointed to his head. "When I turned into a girl I used to do things that were acceptable for girls and not for guys, the same thing with Ryoga, but I never lost sight of who I was up here."

Motoko nodded.

"Well, there was that one time I actually thought I was a girl, but that was because I'd got hit in the head pretty hard."

Motoko blinked.

"Anyways," he coughed, focusing on what he needed to say, "the point is, you're still you regardless of what your body may look like."

"But I… um…"

"Slept with Kitsune?" Ranma finished. He didn't need to see the deep blush on the other martial artist's face to know that she was deeply embarrassed by what had happened. "We all make mistakes," he stated.

"But"

He held up his hand, silencing her protests. "I'm pretty sure that your true body is pure and that you're still a maiden. For men losing their virginity doesn't trigger any physical change as it does with women. It's merely psychological.

"And, nothing against Kitsune, but I think she'd have jumped any guy she could get her hands on. For some people sex is, well, just sex. It's purely physical."

"What about you and Naru?"

"Well, that's different," he answered. "We love each other – there's an emotional, mental, and spiritual bond between us that just can't be broken.

"But this isn't about my relationship with Naru. It's about you. Are you attracted to women or men?"

Still flustered, Motoko grit her teeth, "Men of course."

"Are you sure?"

The quickness of his question caught the slender kendoka by surprise.

"You used to go on about how men were perverts and good for nothing," he stated. "Perhaps that was all a ruse to disguise that you're actually attracted to women. You did say that you could be a better man than Keitaro."

"It's because men a perverts! Other than you and perhaps my brother-in-law I've yet to meet a decent man. Keitaro can be nice, but before you came he was so wishy-washy and tentative in almost everything he did. A real man needs to be decisive, commanding and sure of himself."

"Is that what you believe or what you want in a man?"

Again his question caught her off guard. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Are you looking for a man or a martial artist?"

For a moment Motoko hesitated, still trying to decipher the question. "Can I not have both? You've proven to be a reliable man to Naru and a reliable martial artist and master."

"True," he conceded. "But the world is changing. These days there are fewer men like myself and Ryoga. Things are not like how they were a decade ago. Look at the Grill and the number of martial artists there are there. Though the Grill had more patrons show up there were fewer fights, especially against myself, Konatsu, and Ukyo. Of the masters who do show up regularly most are married to non-martial artists whom they've shown some of the basics of their style at best, otherwise their wives or husbands have little to do with the art."

"Are you saying that I should settle for less?"

Ranma shook his head. "I once thought that I had to marry a martial artist. But I've recently realized that I'm happy with Naru. I don't need to marry a woman from a martial arts school, nor does she have to become my rival as a martial artist to earn m love and respect."

His words hit her harder than any punch that Keitaro had ever managed, robbing her of her lingering hope that she might someday steal him from Naru.

"No, I'm saying that you've set your standards to high. It's not wrong to reach for the sky, but you have to realize that you may not reach those lofty aspirations. You'll eventually meet the man who will win your heart, and if he happens to be a martial artist than good for you, but if not than you might need to reassess what you want. It's not about settling for less, but discovering what will truly make you happy."

It was strange for Ranma to give such sagely advice. True, he was a master martial artist, but he'd lived in a time very unlike the one they all currently lived in. Society had been different a decade ago than they were now, but when one looked at the situation he was right. The cursed martial artist was a perfect example as he showed how someone brought up under different societal norms and expectations could adapt and even thrive in this decade.

Yet despite his sound advice, he could tell that Motoko was still disturbed by, well, everything that had happened. In truth he couldn't blame her. In his nearly two years under his curse he'd managed to avoid having sex with anyone. He couldn't blame her for feeling a bit put out losing her virginity even though she technically hadn't.

The entire thing just made his head spin (and it did arouse him just a little).

* * *

For over four years Naru Narusegawa had called the Hinata Sou her home. Though she'd come here under duress after her father had remarried, the fiery auburn haired girl had come to love the Sou and all the residents. Because of that she couldn't fault Mei for wanting to live here as well.

Though there was a four year age difference between the two of them, Naru was sure that Shinobu and Su (and to some extent Sara) would help the younger Narusegawa sibling feel welcome.

It was very much like how Kitsune had welcomed her when she'd first come to the Sou. Though they were in the same grade, Kitsune was one of the oldest girls in their grade, helping them to solidify their friendship. There were many times when the younger girl had deferred to the older girl's experience, helping the once timid girl to slowly blossom into the beautiful young woman she was now.

"You're really sure you want her here?" Kitsune asked as the older woman eyed the row of empty bottles that lined her shelf. "She's going to limit your alone time with your boyfriend."

"He'll understand," the auburn haired beauty replied half-heartedly. "That's a lot of drinking, even for you."

"I wasn't alone," the sly-eyed woman smirked.

The older woman had that look about her, a look that she hadn't had in a long time. "You," she said, sitting up as she eyed her long time friend.

The satisfied smile on the other woman's face was answer enough for Naru.

"But you were here the entire time," she said aloud. "I know it's not Ranma, and Keitaro was out with Mutsumi…."

"Motoko," the older woman sighed contently.

"Motoko?" That just didn't make sense. Though Kitsune often teased the other girls about their breasts, everyone knew that the resident drunkard played it very straight.

"Ranma's got this little packet, well, he used to," the sly-eyed woman said. "Instant Spring of Drowned Man. One shot use."

Naru blinked. Though Ranma had decided that he wouldn't lie to the other residents about, well, anything, he didn't go out of his way to tell them about magic or about his curse (past or present).

"Shinobu and Su had eaten some magic mushrooms so they looked to be older than me, and we all got pretty drunk," Kitsune explained. "Ranma knew his limit and bowed out, but not before he gave us some Spring of Drowned Man, or at least the instant packet."

The auburn haired woman's eyes widened.

"We were pretty plastered, and you know I haven't gotten any in a long time," the older woman said. "One thing led to another…. If Ranma wasn't passed out I'm sure we would have woken him up."

Naru felt her jaw hit the floor, or something close to it as she gaped at her friend's audacity.

"I showed her firsthand what she'll need to do when she bags a guy. Everything."

Speechless, Naru simply sat there as Kitsune went into vivid detail about her seduction of the temporarily cursed kendoka.

* * *

The night was full of twinkling stars as the cloudless sky illuminated the village of Hinata. With the chill of winter claiming the village few souls dared to venture into the silvery night.

Two cloaked figures stood at the foot of a long flight of stairs.

"I knew you'd come back here," the muscular man stated as a third figure joined them.

"It's been a long time Ryoga," the second man greeted as he eyed the younger man.

"So you're the esteemed Dr. Tofu," the woman said as she fingered the hilt of her sword.

"And you must be Tsuruko Aoyama," the cloaked man said. "Or is it Tsuruko Hibiki?"

The younger man shook his head. "You must have known that the Hinata Sou was warded."

"Of course," the Doctor replied. "But it's much more fun when Ranma realizes that someone's after him and not just putting things off as chance or coincidence."

"Why Ranma?" the swordswoman demanded.

"Because he's the reason Kasumi's dead," the older man snapped. An aura of anger, hate and resentment filled the air. "If not for Ranma Kasumi would still be alive. Yet it's Ranma who's alive and now has found love once again. I can't stand it. He doesn't deserve happiness and I'll do anything in my power to destroy his happiness."

"We can't let you do that," another voice chimed in.

"It's too late," the Doctor stated. "The only reason I exposed myself to you is because my plans are already in motion. Even I can't stop them now."

"The imps?" Tsuruko asked.

"Of course," the man obsessed man sneered. "But they're only part of the plan. Ranma might be able to resist the lustful urges that they imbue those they infect, but the girls aren't. You can't even tell who's infected or not until they've acted on their lust."

"Motoko?" the swordsman asked.

Ryoga shook his head, "The one known as Kitsune, though she probably would have slept with Ranma if she had the chance. Unfortunately Motoko was caught in the cross-fire."

Tsuruko and Eishin exchanged looks before glaring at Dr. Tofu.

"But even without my help, Ranma will be robbed of his happiness and love," Dr. Tofu stated.

Before the Doctor could say anything else, Ryoga charged in. The punch should have connected with the man's stomach but instead it and Ryoga passed right through the phantom.

"Did you think I'd let you capture me that easily?" Dr. Tofu's voice teased. "By all means, tell Ranma that I'm after him, or not. It makes no difference to me."

The phantom slowly faded, leaving the three martial artists standing in the night.

* * *

"RANMA!"

It didn't take a genius to know that hearing his name shouted that loudly was not a good thing, not to mention the tone or the person shouting his name out.

The sound of thundering steps soon followed.

"I think I should"

"Stay," Ranma finished for the kendoka. "I'm sure she's just found out about my role in everything."

"You did," Motoko stated. "You should never have mentioned anything about the Spring of Drowned Man."

Ranma shrugged.

"RANMA!"

The door to the dojo flew open as an clearly irate Naru Narusegawa entered.

"Dojo," Ranma stated.

The angry glare his lover shot him did not go unnoticed as she took a moment to compose herself before crossing the threshold. With deliberate care she closed the door behind her.

Regardless of his faults or their relationship, the dojo was his domain.

"I see that you've heard about what happened while you were away," Ranma said as he invited Naru to sit beside Motoko.

"I didn't think this was one of those matters," snapped Naru.

"Technically it isn't," Ranma replied curtly. "But we don't want anyone to know about what we're talking about."

"But you trust me?"

Ranma nodded. "You both know I used to have another curse," he explained. "But as I explained to Motoko, just because it changed my appearance physically it didn't change who I was in here."

"It doesn't change the fact that you allowed Kitsune to take advantage of her," Naru snapped.

Sitting up straight, Ranma weathered her withering glare. "I admit, I might have let things go too far, but it's not completely my fault."

"It was my fault," Motoko said boldly. "I was curious, and I was the one who chose to drink as much as I did. I could have stopped Kitsune when she and Su got going, and I should have kept Su from eating a mushroom or forcing Shinobu to eat one. I could have left when I felt I'd had enough, just as Ranma and Shinobu left when they thought they couldn't drink anymore."

"Motoko," Naru said, her voice soft and comforting voice reaching out to sooth the kendoka.

The proud woman shook her head. "I accept responsibility for my actions. Being drunk is no excuse."

* * *

For the past few years everyone who knew her described her as a passionate person who was quick to judge. She knew what they said, the praise they heaped on her as well as what they said behind her back. Though she was an intellectual person they would always say that she was much more passionate and impulsive, how else to explain the fact that she'd failed on her first attempt to get into Todai despite being ranked as the top prepatory student in the nation?

Though she had spent the past few months living passionately with her boyfriend and lover, Naru Narusegawa knew that she'd hit a crossroads. Living at the Hinata Sou with Ranma had been wonderful. Their dates, study sessions, sparring and morning trainings had been nothing short of spectacular. But her sister's return and Ranma's temporary disappearance to deal with his issues made her reassess their relationship. Though their date on Christmas Eve had been wonderful, she realized that she really did want more.

Listening to Kitsune talk about how she'd deflowered a male Motoko had given her an excuse to be upset and angry at Ranma. And it was much easier to break up with him when she was mad at him. But listening to the proud kendoka admit to her own mistakes and shortcomings had diluted her anger and frustration.

It didn't help that they'd been in the dojo as well. Ranma's domain.

Despite the chill of the night's air, she'd convinced Ranma to take a walk with her, though only up to the annex roof as the two gazed at the stars.

For untold minutes the two stood together, each gathering their thoughts.

"Ranma?"

"Yeah," the pigtailed immortal replied.

"I've been thinking."

"I'll keep my magical stuff from getting out," he said, jumping to a different conclusion. "I promise, something like this won't happen again. And I'll find out how the hell Su got more mushrooms."

The auburn haired woman nodded. She could feel his strong arm around her shoulders, robbing her of her conviction. Gulping, she pulled away from him. "Actually, I've been thinking about us."

Puzzled, Ranma turned to look at her. With all that had gone on recently he had not thought about the status of their relationship, thinking that everything had been resolved during their Christmas Eve date.

"I've been selfish," she said, confusing him even further. "It wasn't until I went home with Mei that I realized it. I'm probably still being selfish, but I can't help but think that I want something more."

Dazed, Ranma stood in silence. His usual witty retorts and remarks just seemed inappropriate given the circumstances.

"I want a boyfriend that I can bring home to meet my parents, a man who I can someday marry and have children with," she explained. Forcing herself to maintain eye contact, she gulped again. "I've got a family that loves me, and I can't lie to them about my boyfriend. It's one thing to not tell Kitsune about your curse, but someday everyone's going to notice that you don't age. Someday my parents are going to figure out that magic exists and that you're immortal and if they don't it's because they'll never get to meet the man that I love. I don't want to tell them that I can take a magic mushroom to become young again while they have to age, and I don't want them to do that and turn their backs on everyone else in their life as well."

It almost felt like the argument they'd had the last time, but Ranma knew that it wasn't the same. This time was very different. Painfully aware of his slowly beating heart and the lack of control he had over his body, Ranma could do little but lean against the railing.

"I love you," Naru said, her words cutting him like a jagged and rusty sword ripping through his chest and heart. "But I realize that I can't live in your world. This isn't just martial artists or magical. I could try to live a lifetime with you, but I can't. I have a sister and parents – a family that loves me. I can't just abandon them."

Blindsided, Ranma could only nod his head. She was right. Maybe he'd been selfish too. Then again, he didn't have any family, not really. Sure, Konatsu was his adopted brother and acted the part of an older brother, but they didn't have that kind of bond, not really. Ryoga, well, they were rivals and friends, but that was it. "You're right," he said. "I guess we've been living a lie."

Lost in his own feelings of sorrow and grief, he failed to notice the shocked look on Naru's face at his bitter, tactless words.

"I thought that love was enough," he muttered, "but I guess not."

Powerless, he stood there as Naru ran away, leaving him alone in the cold night's air.

* * *

After three straight days of heavy sparring and hard training he'd managed to sleep only a few hours as his immortal body taunted him, healing his wounds and keeping him from feeling tired or exhausted. Yes, there he focus his mind and sweat out his frustration, but even that wouldn't help heal his ailing heart.

The biting cold air nipped at his extremities, reminding him that he wasn't completely numb to the world around him as he walked through the nearly deserted streets of Hinata. Sounds of merriment and cheer reached his ears as he passed by a bar.

For a moment he was tempted to enter the establishment, to indulge in the mind-numbing elixirs that were offered. But try as he might his immortal body would not make getting drunk easy, as it had proven the previous week when he'd consumed several bottles of hard liquor before finally calling it a night. No, it was much more economical for him to buy a case of liquor than to go to a bar.

Giving into that nagging voice in his head, he stopped at the nearest store and did just that. Hefting a case of rum, whisky, sake, and the first three seasons of Highlander the TV series, he headed back to the Hinata Sou.

* * *

The endless days flew by the young immortal as winter's grip slowly set in on the Hinata Sou. The daily grind of practice, study, eat, sparring and watching Highlander set in as the once cheerful and carefree Ranma was replaced with a more subdued version. What point was there for him to celebrate one New Year, even if it was the end of a century or millennium, if he could live to see the turn of the next century or millennium?

Though he studied, he knew that Todai was no longer his goal. No, Todai was too normal a school for him. Fortunately he had a place in mind already as he continued to study with the others. With his new school and plans in mind he set forth on his path to make those dreams a reality.

The others quickly noticed the slight tension in the air around the two former lovers, though none dared to say anything. Then again, Ranma rarely spent much time with them outside of his daily sessions in the dojo. With his high marks in the mock exams boosting his confidence, Ranma had even begun to skip out on the study sessions with the three ronin in favor of leaving the Sou for hours on end.

Though Ranma rarely made time to simply hang out with the other residents, the immortal did not shriek on his responsibilities as part owner and assistant manager of the Hinata Sou. With Keitaro busy studying it fell on Ranma to pick up the slack. But today was one of those rare days when both men worked together, patching the roof to the dojo.

"Are you even planning to go to Todai any longer?" Keitaro ventured to ask.

Nails in hand, Ranma slammed his open palm against the galvanized nail, driving it through the shingle and the wood underneath. "No," he replied. "Todai's too normal for me."

Even though he anticipated the possibility of that answer, simply hearing the other martial artist answering so bluntly startled Keitaro, nearly causing him to lose his balance as he stood on the roof.

"I've found a school that'll accept me," Ranma added. "It's a big world out there and I've got the time to explore it."

Keitaro wanted to protest, but found himself at a loss for words.

"Hand me some more nails," the immortal said as he drove the last of his nails into the wood beneath.

The ronin obliged. "Is it"

"Yes," Ranma replied as he snatched the nails out of Keitaro's fingers. "I'm not normal – never was. My curse, or all my curses, have marked me as different. I never used to care about not fitting in, but if you look at Japanese society, it's always about blending in, not sticking out. We frown on those who don't conform – the Other – and try to get them to fit our preconceived notions of what is appropriate. I don't belong in that world, and Naru can't give it up.

"It's just as I told Motoko – we reached a point where we as individuals had to decide what we wanted and what would make us happy in the long run.

"But this, this is a chance for me to find where I belong."

There was no bitterness or anger in his voice as he spoke. The lack of emotion scared Keitaro. Though Ranma wasn't a passionate or emotional person, he was a person who generally emoted happiness and confidence. Yet everything he said was delivered with a cold logic that suggested a lack of emotion of any sort.

It was only in the dojo that Ranma showed any emotion as he continued to teach and spar, offering encouragement to his lone student and the two heirs to their respective schools. No longer were the casual spectators and practitioners allowed into the dojo, thus keeping Mutsumi, Naru, Su and Sara out of the now private sessions, further limiting his interactions with the non-martial artists in the house.

At a loss for words, Keitaro simply nodded. Having never been dumped (just rejected) he really didn't know what to say.

"Fight me," Keitaro said inexplicitly.

The other martial artist simply eyed the ronin. With the repairs to the roof done, there was little for the two men to do together. Though they vigorously sparred each day it was just sparring.

With the repairs complete, the two men ventured into he dojo before taking their positions.

"Anything goes," Keitaro said with a slight bow.

Ranma answered with his own bow.

A swift snap kick to the head knocked Keitaro down, filling the ronin's vision with stars that he knew weren't really there.

Picking himself off the floor, Keitaro cleared his head with a vigorous shake. Ranma never initiated. No, the Ranma he knew never initiated, but this man before him wasn't that Ranma.

Rubbing his jaw, Keitaro rushed in with a straight thrusting punch to the immortal's face. Surprisingly Ranma didn't block or dodge, taking the punch even as he spun around to deliver a stiff kick to the ribs. It ended as quickly as it started as Ranma connected with another kick to Keitaro's stomach then followed up with a punishing uppercut that lifted the shorter man off his feet. A swift crescent kick answered as Keitaro pulled a trick out of Martial Law's book.

Separated by the force of their attacks the two men scrambled to their feet.

'_This was definitely not how I expected things to go down,'_ Keitaro thought as he wiped the blood from his now swollen lip.

The immortal appeared to be much better off despite all the punches that Keitaro thought he'd landed. His red silk shirt was completely unblemished, though the taller man's usually tight pigtail was uncharacteristically ruffled.

"I didn't land a single punch, did I?"

Ranma nodded. "The kick was pretty unexpected though."

"You're fighting ugly," Keitaro stated as he resumed his stance.

"Fight, not spar," Ranma said. "Two different things."

The ronin nodded. For the briefest of moments Ranma had treated him as an equal, rushing in and holding nothing back in a display of rare offensive capability.

The brief, offensive Ranma vanished in a flash as the immortal martial artist once again fell into his usual routine of waiting out his opponent. His speed and elusiveness was irritating, more so than his confounding behavior, as Keitaro sought to land a decent hit on Ranma.

No cheeky remarks or witty quips flew from the lips of the immortal master, only swift feet and blindly quick fists. Even Keitaro's nigh invulnerability wasn't up to the task of dealing with Ranma's nearly relentless assault.

Never one to needlessly attack someone, Ranma pulled back once Keitaro fell to his knees. "Yield?"

The battered ronin nodded. "I… I never realized how much you held back."

The immortal shrugged. "I was still holding back."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," the ronin joked.

The ronin just shrugged, "Just don't challenge me again."

* * *

With the winter holidays over the younger girls returned to school, leaving just the adults at the Sou when not working or attending their cram school seminars. With the entrance exams quickly approaching the four university hopefuls were studying hard. Little was said about the obvious tension between Naru and Ranma, but still Motoko hadn't been able to take advantage of the situation.

'_Congratulations are in order it seems.' _

Stirred from her thoughts, Motoko eyed the sword that hung from her wall.

'_You're going to be a father.'_

The words hit the kendoka harder than anything that Ranma or Ryoga had ever connected with.

'_I can sense the life force growing inside of your lover.'_

Sitting up Motoko could feel her body shuddering in terror.

'_This may not be what you wanted, but it's what you need. You have your future heir. Now you can pursue what your heart desires. You should just take him,'_ the cursed blade advised her. _'At least now you don't have to kill the other woman.'_

Motoko scowled into her book as she tried to ignore the cursed blade. Though she had mastered the blade she hadn't been able to suppress all of the urges that it she had. And when it came to a newly available Ranma, those urges came often.

'_It's late,'_ the sword advised. _'Everyone else is asleep.'_

Motoko shook her head.

'_The woman is no longer an obstacle nor is your sister's decree; go claim him for yourself. Go to the dojo and prove to him that he made the mistake the last time and that you are the better woman.'_

"No," Motoko grumbled. "I do not wish to interfere with his studies for the exam."

'_Fine,'_ the sword ceded_. 'Wait ten more days until the exams are done.'_

* * *

The much anticipated day of the Todai exams was still far off but the first major hurtle loomed before them. The Center Exams were the official start of the Exam season. For some it had been years of hard studying and work, for some only months. Still, it was a momentous day. A nervous tension filled the Hinata Sou as the four prepatory students finished breakfast. Though the other girls had school as well, they waited to see their seniors off.

Even though he was no longer trying for Todai, Ranma knew that he still needed to go through the act of leaving to take the entrance exam. Only Keitaro and Shinobu knew the truth behind his deception.

With the two women focused on the entrance exams the short walk down to the train station was relatively silent, only their occasional mutters as they went over various facts and equations that they thought might be on the exam or that they had encountered on the first day of the exams.

"So," Keitaro said with a heartfelt sigh, "this is it, huh?"

It didn't surprise either man that neither woman bothered to look up at Keitaro's remark.

"I guess," Ranma shrugged. The exam itself had been easy, at least for him. The hardest part had been fighting the urge to get up and throw some punches or kicks to ease his mind by recreating a similar setting to mimic when he'd learned and mastered the various formulas or read the various text books. The other part of the exam had been keeping Keitaro from freaking out or falling asleep.

"Do you think you'll meet your promise girl?" Ranma asked out of the blue.

The other man blinked. "I already have," he grinned. Gently he pulled Mutsumi to him. "Now I just have to make it into Todai with her."

Had Ranma cared he would have noticed the odd look that Naru threw the couple.

"Promise Girl?" the busty brunette exclaimed, stirred out of her thoughts of the exam.

"It's you," Keitaro stated. "Sixteen years ago we promised to go to Todai together, remember?"

The flighty brunette looked at her lover, "I did make a promise to go to Todai, but that was 13 years ago."

It was as though all his energy was siphoned out of him as Keitaro struggled to stay upright.

"Besides," the brunette added, "I made my promise to a girl."

The old Ranma would have laughed at the comedy of errors playing out before him, but this Ranma knew that it wasn't right, not with everything that was going on. "Dude," he said, putting his hand on the other man's shoulder, "it doesn't matter. You're going to Todai with the woman you love, right?"

Keitaro nodded meekly.

"You promised to go to Todai," Ranma said. "You're going to go to Todai. It's the first hurtle, that's it."

Taking a deep breath, the other man nodded. Slowly he gathered his courage. "Right," he said firmly. "I just wish you were coming with us."

* * *

"Is something wrong Shinobu?" the newest of the Hinata residents asked. Though she had only lived at the Hinata Sou for just under two weeks Mei had formed the strongest bond with Shinobu in the little time that she'd been there. Not only were their rooms adjacent but they were in the same year. She'd even transferred into the same school as the other girl. As such she'd learned to pick up on the other girl's demeanor very quickly.

The other girl glanced up at the clock, waiting for the minutes to tick away.

"What's with the clock?" Kitsune asked. Despite not drinking lately, the older woman looked pale and gaunt. For some reason or other she just couldn't keep her breakfast down regardless of how delectable the food was. "And why are you fidgeting?"

Finally the minute changed.

"Ranma's leaving," Shinobu exclaimed.

"Of course, he's got the Todai entrance exam," Kitsune said.

Shinobu shook her head. "No, he's leaving the Hinata Sou. He made me and Keitaro-sempai promise not to tell anyone until he'd reached the train station."

The other girls were now all focused on her.

"Because they broke up?" Mei exclaimed. Though she'd been biased against the master martial artist when she first arrived, things had been smoothed over after Naru had ended their relationship. Still, it was clear that neither one had come out of it unscathed.

"Motoko-sempai, you love him, don't you?" the young maiden demanded as she turned to the kendoka.

Motoko could only gape as the others now turned on her.

"You're the only one who is strong enough to stop him," Shinobu stated.

"I-I can't force him to stay."

"But if you told him how you felt…"

"Go Motoko!" Su exclaimed as she pushed the other girl towards the entrance.

"If you leave now you can still catch up to him," Shinobu advised.

Before she knew it Motoko was dashing down the long flight of steps that lead into town, sword in hand.

* * *

"You're not going to Todai?" Naru exclaimed as she looked at Ranma for the first time. Though they had barely spoken in the nearly two weeks since their break up it hurt her to know that he hadn't even thought enough of her to tell her that he was leaving.

"I've decided that Todai isn't for me," Ranma answered as he looked into her amber eyes. "It's too normal for someone like me."

His words pierced her heart and stung at her very soul. She knew that he'd leave eventually, but this sudden and unexpected departure… she didn't know how to describe it. Naru could only watch as the train approached the station before finally stopping.

Her heart and soul were assailed by a nearly overwhelming sorrow at the thought of never seeing him again, of never feeling his arms around her. Gulping, she gathered herself. Forcefully she pulled her eyes away from her first love and walked through the doors of the train.

Keitaro and Mutsumi followed, acting as a buffer for her as Ranma confidently strode after them.

"RANMA!"

The cry cut through the morning air, startling the four travelers.

The pigtailed martial artist glanced at the clock on the station wall, then back at the slowly growing form of the kendoka.

"I wonder if I set the clock fast," Keitaro muttered as he grasped the hand hold by the door, blocking Ranma's path.

The other man eyed him. _'I thought we got here pretty early. Bastard – I'm definitely getting you back for this.'_

"RANMA!" Motoko cried out urgently as she leapt over the ticket counter.

"Miss!" the attendant on duty shouted. "You didn't pay!"

Sighing, Ranma turned his back to the train. He was already guarantied admission at the school of his choice already, what need did he have for the Todai Entrance Exam?

The sound of the doors closing behind him reached his ears as he walked towards Motoko.

One door closed, but another stood before him.

"Ranma," Motoko growled as she approached him. "You coward!"

Not bothering to greet her with words, Ranma instead let his fists do the talking as he connected with a blindingly quick punch to the kendoka's stomach, doubling her over and knocking the air out of her lungs. "Sorry."

Deftly picking up the stunned girl he hoped that no one could see up her skirt has he hosted her over his shoulder. "Sorry," he apologized again as he walked past the stunned attendant.

Walking for half a block, Ranma finally found a spot to set the kendoka down. "Sorry about that."

"Coward," Motoko grumbled as she clutched at her sore stomach.

"This isn't the dojo or the restaurant," he stated. "We can't just start fights anywhere just because we want to."

As mad as she was, she couldn't fault him for his logic. She had chased after him with the intent of fighting him in necessary.

"But you're right," he added as he sat beside her. "It was cowardly to leave so abruptly."

Motoko could only nod as her thunder was stolen.

"But it's too soon," he sighed.

Piercing blue eyes looked into her chocolate brown ones.

"I'll be back for the summer holidays," he said.

Nodding, Motoko watched as Ranma stood up. "If I'm not back in four months have Kage track me down."

"So you're not running away?" Startled by the sound of her own voice, Motoko averted her eyes. She'd just displayed a lack of trust and faith in the supposedly indomitable martial artist.

Ranma shook his head, a smile gracing his lips for the first time in weeks. "I'm going to college, but I should be back for the summer. Think of it as a long training trip."

Suddenly she was on her feet, standing before him as she gazed into his eyes once again.

"You've grown," he stated, "physically, mentally and emotionally."

The kendoka could only blush.

Unlike Naru who had to tiptoe to kiss him if he wasn't sitting or bending down, Motoko was nearly as tall as he was. Her lips were so close, almost pleading for him to kiss her. Leaning towards her he kissed her gently on the lips.

A warmth spread through Motoko's face then to the rest of her body as she felt his soft lips against hers. Closing her eyes she savored the feeling. After what felt like an eternity she opened her eyes.

Ranma was gone.

* * *

A/ N

I think I'll leave things here for now.

Yes, Ranma x Naru is finally over – you may all rejoice now.

Dreamingfox


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Notes –

I have to say that I hate the end of the year. I love winter, just not freezing car door locks, shoveling, broken garage doors… oh, wait, the last one goes with owning a used home. Gotta get a new garage door and deal with repairs to an old car. I also have to fix the snow blower (we've already had one snowstorm and should get another before this chapter is finished) and insulate the sump-pump pipes so that they don't freeze.

Sigh, so it goes.

* * *

Tokyo University, it was the loftiest and most prestigious of all universities in Japan. But Ranma had his sights set beyond Japan. Staying in Japan would have meant that he had to wait until the spring to go to school. But it also meant that he'd have to say in a conformist society. It wasn't that he loved Japan; it was just that he knew he needed a change of scenery that went beyond just going to college.

Still, the thought of simply abroad had been intimidating. The last time he'd done that he'd received two curses, cursed his father, best friend and rival, and had someone give him a kiss of death.

Fortunately his time in Scholomance had paid off in dividends. Though it had felt like he'd been gone for years, perhaps even decades, in reality he'd only been gone for four months, then again, Ranma had pushed his immortal body to its limits. Intensely studying under the nonstop tutelage of some of the world's most renown esoteric masters had been more than enough for Ranma. It didn't help that he lacked the affinity for white magic. The simple concept of believing in a higher power not only eluded the master martial artist, but the fact that he would have to acknowledge and ask for divine assistance from those same celestial being (many of whom he was now no longer on good terms with) was simply beyond what Ranma was willing to do.

Ranma felt that his time in Scholomance had been very beneficial. While he lacked the skill and ability of his fellow students he more than made up for it with ingenious and inventive uses of the basics that he had managed to learn. Not only had he learned how to combat most black magic, but he now realized that he was more suited for elemental and illusion based magic. And his use of the other schools of magic allowed his sparring partners a chance to actually test their white magic in actual battle.

Having learned all that he could about the practical uses of white magic, his instructors had allowed him to take time off from his studies to travel the world while also completing some errands that the masters felt he was capable of doing.

Stepping past the magical boundary that protected the ancient school Ranma felt the fresh mountain air against his skin.

"Four months," he muttered as the cold mountain air hit him. It would be autumn when he returned to Scholomance. "I've got one month to get home, and I gotta walk the entire way…"

* * *

Four months. Naru never realized just how much things in the Hinata Sou could change in just four months. Never before had the chemistry of the Hinata Sou changed so much with Ranma's departure. Even the change that had happened after Granny Hina had left the Sou in Keitaro's care couldn't compare to Ranma's absence.

Slowly the girls who had been at the Sou when Granny Hina was still the dorm manager had changed under Keitaro's care, but Ranma's addition had been a catalyst unmatched by the hapless ronin turned dorm manager. The awakening that some of the girls were undergoing suddenly became a complete metamorphosis for some.

And like a true catalyst the metamorphosis had continued even after Ranma's sudden departure. While Shinobu and Motoko continued to forge down their path, Naru appeared to be undergoing another transformation altogether. The once fiery and passionate young woman had become more withdrawn while becoming more focused on getting accepted to Todai.

Everyone had hoped that getting accepted into Todai would change things but it hadn't. Since getting into Todai, starting classes and becoming absorbed in club activities, limiting the amount of time that she spent at the Hinata Sou. With the long commute to Todai, long classes and club activities Naru rarely ever appeared in the Hinata Sou other than to eat a late dinner, bath, and sleep. Even Keitaro and Mutsumi rarely saw the auburn haired beauty.

In truth, Naru wanted it that way. She didn't want to see the happy couple either together or apart as their happiness only reminded her of the gaping hole in her heart.

The busty beauty knew that Motoko had set her sights on Ranma that she'd spoke to him before he'd left. Despite what he'd felt for her he had said nothing to her. Judging from the spring in Motoko's step it he'd kissed her, perhaps even done more. Even though she'd broken up with him it was he who had appeared to move on first.

Not wanting to feel the sting of being single during Valentine's Day and White Day she'd buried herself in her studies. Studying was all she could do to numb herself to the aching in her heart.

* * *

Nothing happens without a reason. It was a hard lesson for Ranma to learn. For the longest time he simply never cared to think about why things happened, only that he had to clean up whatever situation he'd been dragged into or stumbled across.

Initially the feel of several powerful battle auras had attracted him to the secluded fight. Hoping to be able to test his prowess against some of Korea's best fighters, Ranma was drawn to the fight like a moth to the flame. The sight that greeted him upon his arrival though told him that it was anything but a friendly fight.

Several unusual demons were attacking a boy who appeared to be no older than Motoko. But he was no ordinary boy. The half-Korean youth wore an all black collarino and white collar a clear sign that he was somehow associated with the Catholic clergy. The fact that he was quoting biblical verses seemed to solidify that assumption.

It was clear that the half-Korean kid was fairly powerful, but the way he was unleashing power it was clear that he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long. Had it been a fair fight of say five on one or so he might have been doing well, but against a dozen of the creatures it was clear that the kid needed help.

Cause and effect could be a real bitch.

His verse complete, the priest in training blasted a demon away, leaving nothing but ash and a crater.

"So," he said once again, "what are these things?"

Startled, the remaining demons and the priest in training all eyed Ranma.

"You should run," the kid advised as he gripped his long cross tipped staff.

"Why?"

The demons in question eyed Ranma, then the young priest, unsure what to do.

"Demons," the other fighter answered as he gripped his cross tipped staff. A subtle twist freed the hidden blade, catching a demon by surprise as he cut through the creature.

"And why are you fighting them?" asked Ranma as he offered an out for the injured demon.

"Because they're demons."

"That's lame," the immortal replied.

"What?" the priest exclaimed. "They're evil and they eat, um, people."

The largest of the demons appeared to be chuckling, though with demons you never knew unless they were cackling evilly.

"He's eaten the flesh of another sentient being," the powerful demon declared. "Why would he care if we eat humans? It's in our nature to eat humans."

As much as he wanted to dispute it, the demon did have a point. Still… "What kind of people do you guys eat?"

It was a question that they had never been asked before, prompting the demons to cast uncertain looks at each other then at their apparent leader.

"We're burning desire demons," the creature grunted. "So anyone with pent up sexual energy, but usually virgins."

"See, they eat virgins!" the priest in training exclaimed. "They eat the pure of heart!"

"Let me guess," Ranma said as he stood up straight, "you're a virgin."

The priest grew red in the face. "That's not important!"

"Well, it is if they're trying to eat you because you're a virgin."

Ranma swore he could hear the demons snicker. Or whatever seemed to pass for snickering amongst demons.

"So you guys eat just virgins?" Ranma asked.

"Well," the lead demon scratched his head, "not always. He" he pointed to one of the smaller demons "likes to eat guys that cheat on their wives. He eats pedophiles who prey on children."

"Adultery's bad," Ranma nodded. "Isn't that one of the ten big sins in your religion?"

"Well, yeah," the priest ceded. Odd that the stranger hadn't said anything about the demon that ate pedophiles.

"He eats women who cheat on their husbands," the small demon that had been singled out stated as he pointed to one of the other demons.

"So technically they're not all bad," Ranma stated. "It's the Law of Causality. Cause and effect really. Demons aren't always evil, they just have a different way of looking at things."

"But the prey on humans!" the priest shouted.

"And we prey on cows, fish, whales, chickens," Ranma began to count the various things he'd eaten in his travels. "Rabbits, rats, fish, snakes…"

"The demon said you'd eaten the flesh of another sentient being," the young priest in training stated. "What did you eat?"

"Oh, mermaid's flesh; but if I'd known what it was I wouldn't have eaten it."

"You're immortal?"

"By accident."

"But you ate the flesh of a mermaid!"

"Not intentionally."

"Mermaids really exist?" the priest muttered.

Ranma nodded. "You believe in god, fight demons, but you don't believe mermaids exist?"

"Well, that's different."

"Um," one of the smaller demons said, "are we gonna fight or not? I'm getting kinda hungry."

"Well, you're hunting him, right?" Ranma asked as he pointed at the priest.

The demons nodded.

"And he's going to fill you up?"

The demons looked at each other, then at the boy.

"Not really," the big demon stated.

"And we're not hunting him really," the demon that ate pedophiles muttered. "He's been hunting us. So we decided to lure him into a trap."

"Cause and effect," Ranma muttered. "Looks like you got what you deserve picking a fight with them."

"But they're preying on humans."

"Not all of them were good," Ranma countered.

"What kind of logic is that? Aren't you human too?"

The big demon shook his head. "You don't get it boy, he's eaten the flesh of a mermaid to gain immortality; do you really think he's still human?"

"No wonder you're siding with them!" the priest growled. "Once I'm done with them I'm coming after you!"

Cause and effect.

* * *

The feel of two immensely powerful auras battling attracted the hunter. The first he recognized, but the second was alien to him. In truth, the fact that they were fighting didn't matter to him, what did matter was the fact that there were currently several other auras around them, auras that belonged to burning desire demons.

Had the demons found a new ally?

Curious, Pan decided to investigate.

"Bastard!"

That was definitely John.

"Why are you protecting them? They're demons – demons are evil!"

Riding on his Catholic high horse.

Pan knew better than most that while demons were dark creatures that did not always equate to them being evil creatures. Yes, some of the burning desire demons revealed in torturing their prey as they consumed them, but most were… humane in disposing of their food.

True, the ones that had been hunting Miho were doing it because she radiated pent up sexual energy and they had issues with him killing one of their elders, but it was only because the bastard of a demon had taken his prey. There were rules and decorum that the predators were supposed to operate by when stalking their pray. Taking another predator's prey was crossing the line, and examples needed to be made. Just because he wasn't a demon didn't mean that his markers were to be ignored by the others.

"They only ganged up against you because they feared for their lives," the stranger stated.

The well dressed man stopped, watching as the stranger nimbly avoided John's attacks. The Japanese youth taunting John was clearly an accomplished fighter, but he wasn't much of a magic user. The bits of magic that he used were hastily thrown up yet were masterfully done, allowing him to evade the priest in training's attacks with ease.

"The same old trick won't fool me twice," John muttered as he cut through an illusion.

The Japanese fighter merely shrugged. "I need some actual combat experience with it."

"You're using me as a guinea pig?"

"Why not?"

"You're not taking this fight seriously?"

"Should I?"

The kid was good. Not only did his constant banter keep John from reciting his verses, it kept him just off of his game. In a straight up fight John was outmatched, and the Japanese fighter knew it. And keeping it a fight and not a true spiritual battle was in his best interests.

Charging in John was greeted with a kick to the face for his troubles. The blindingly quick strike sent the young priest in training crashing into a dumpster, bringing a chorus of applause from the gathered demons.

'_He makes it look easy,'_ Pan thought as he watched John get to his feet. Firsthand knowledge told him that John wouldn't go down so easily.

As he anticipated, John shook off the blow.

The fight, if it could be called that, was ugly. It was clear that John knew how to fight with his spiritually augmented muscles and limbs, but the Japanese fighter had a fluidness that most martial arts masters lacked. Whereas most martial arts masters moved with the practiced grace of their style or school, this fighter barely moved at all. No motion was wasted and every step was calculated as though he were directing the entire fight to fit his vision.

This unknown Japanese fighter was as elusive as a ghost and his illusions only made him all the more maddening for John to try and keep up with. Still, it was almost impressive to watch as John chased after the other fighter.

The gentle light of dawn slowly illuminated the sky, replacing the darkness with gentle light.

"Is your friend going to join in or is he just going to watch?" the youth asked as he glanced up at Pan.

"Shit!" one of the demons cried out. "It's Pan!"

The handful of young burning desire demons scattered.

It didn't matter to Pan. Those demons had been young and they weren't interested in Miho or in extracting any revenge for the deaths of their kin at his hands.

"You can't win," Pan stated as he allowed the burning desire demons to flee. "He's out of your league as a fighter."

"I can't let him go," John grumbled. "He's marked by a demon."

"If he's this good, how good is the demon that branded him?"

The Japanese fighter glanced between the two Korean magi. "It's only there until I repay the favor I owe."

"But if you die he takes your soul," the priest grumbled.

"Well," the demon marked fighter said as he considered everything that had been said, "if I'm fighting you I only have to worry about dying from boredom."

* * *

Faith, it was one of the cornerstones of everything that he'd done in his life. Faith in people, faith in God Almighty. But even the most faithful followers had their moments of doubt. His first encounters with the undead priest Pan had caused the most recent bout of doubt in the young priest in training.

When he'd set out for Korea, he never imagined being sidetracked as he was and being sent to the mysterious and cursed island of Cheju instead of the orphanage in Seoul. Then again he hadn't imagined having to fight for his life against an undead priest, being asked to solve the riddle of several mass murders, fighting against Interpol agents and discovering that the tools of the mass murders had been the skulls of displaced Koreans who had been experimented on and then executed by the Japanese. His entire time in Korea was memorable, if not entirely enjoyable. Still, it wasn't what he'd set out to accomplish when he'd left New York.

Cheju was a cursed island full of demonic spawn of all sorts. There had been many instances where John had been forced to kill several burning desire demons, but ever since he'd encountered Ranma things had changed.

The demon-branded immortal was respected and even feared by the lower demons, but Ranma never attacked any unless he found them to be involved in the slaying of innocents. Some of the younger demons had even taken to bartering services and goods with the Japanese traveler though the exact terms and conditions were done in a language that John could not decipher. Then again, Ranma had studied at Scholomance. While it was one of the preeminent schools of white and esoteric magic it was not unusual for the magi there to learn the demonic tongue so as to better understand demons and their ways.

In the short time that Ranma had stayed with him and Pan, none of the other demons on the island had dared to fight them. It helped that Pan had eliminated most of the older and more powerful burning desire demons for some reason or other, but Ranma had somehow managed to help bring about an unspoken truce between the undead priest and the lesser demons.

Odd that it had also been the Japanese traveler who had convinced him to finally make the trek to Seoul.

Still struggling to make sense of everything, John watched the clouds on the horizon. Despite Ranma's quick wit and unusual conversation skills, the master martial artist said little to him during the entire trip from Seoul as though he were giving him space to reflect on the recent events.

"So," Ranma finally said, breaking the long silence between them, "who's this girl I'm supposed to meet up with?"

"Uchida Kyoichi," John replied. A tender gentleness in his usually stoic voice suggested a strong, deep connection between the two. "I met her a year ago." _'Have I really been here for a year?'_

"What's she do?"

"She's a mage – black magic. I think she works for the Japanese branch of Interpol."

Ranma glanced at John, curious about that. If it was true than that meant that some magi did work with the government agencies to some degree. Then again, it might be one thing for spiritualist and magi to work with the authorities to work together on some things.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. But where was the line drawn? Clearly the police on Cheju Island had not investigated the disappearances of those who had died at the hands of the burning desire demons, though they had investigated some of Pan's slayings. Had Pan and John been the only ones to deal with the chaos caused by the supernatural or had there been others who also hunted the demons? True, the Catholic Church didn't have the same kind of pull in Korea as it did in America, but there had to be some other organization or association that dealt with the supernatural, right?

But what of Japan? Sure, there was the Magic Association, but who did that include? The Shinmeiryu, and the magical academy in Mahora, but who else? Surely there were more groups and schools than that. The Shinmeiryu was part of the Kansai Association, and Mahora was ruled by the Konto Association, but who else belonged to those associations?

Ranma could think of little else but the various schools of magic and their role in governing as well as in protecting humanity. His time in Scholomance had taught him many things about magic and about the politics of magic. For starters there was no Ministry of Magic that oversaw the use of magic in a nation and no coalition of ministries as portrayed in Harry Potter. While some schools worked within the boundaries of a particular nation, they usually weren't the only groups. Japan itself was supposedly split between five factions, the two largest being the Kansai and Kanto Magic Associations that reigned over the main island of Japan. Even though they were the largest, they did not represent all of the smaller schools and styles or the independents.

While the Shinmeiryu and handled a bulk of the demon and spirit hunting, there were also independent hunters unaffiliated with any magical or martial arts school that took up the mantle of protecting humans from the dark creatures. But three other magic associations existed in Japan, two of which ruled over some of the smaller islands and prefectures while the third was affiliated with the government.

From what he'd been told by the other students at Scholomance most magical schools or associations tried to keep their presence hidden from their respective governments. Some nations lacked any school or association of their own, allowing other groups to effectively claim them as their territory or becoming disputed territories or even territories governed by demons or other dark creatures.

It really was a tangled mess, making the UN, NATO and other worldwide agencies look simple in comparison.

With a sigh, Ranma temporarily gave up on trying to piece together the various magical associations and their roles in the world.

* * *

There was a time when things were simple and easy. Sure, life hadn't been easy, but good and evil had been distinct with a clear line separating the two. But ever since coming to Korea John realized that the world wasn't so clear cut. Yes, there were more than enough evil demons, but there were also plenty of evil people. And then there those few demons who weren't evil but simply had to eat humans to exist. It wasn't that they wanted to or even enjoyed eating humans, but as a matter of survival they needed to eat human flesh.

A quick glance at the Japanese fighter that had further muddled his world view showed that the supposedly carefree and worriless man was enjoying his meal, effortlessly stuffing his mouth at inhuman speeds.

Hearing his flight announced on the PA, John stood up. His time in Korea had come to an end and the next great journey was about to begin.

"Take care," he said as he offered his hand to the immortal. "I hope to see you again sometime."

To his surprise Ranma stood up and accepted his hand. "Good luck. Hopefully you won't be old and wrinkled when I see you."

* * *

The warmth of the spring air greeted Ukyo as her husband opened the door to the patio. Though it was only Saturday the proprietor of _Saotome's Grill_ knew that the weather forecast was favorable for having patrons test their skill against each other. Another fresh spring breeze blew into the nearly vacant restaurant as the chimes over the main entrance sounded, signaling that a patron had entered the shop. Instinctively she glanced up. A sad smile graced her face as she sighed. "I was wondering when you'd come here."

The young brunette beauty cautiously entered the restaurant, "Do I know you?"

The hostess shook her head. "Not personally, no. But I know your sister and several others who live at the Hinata Sou."

Mei gulped, unsure of herself. She'd come here to find out more about the man that had broken her sister's heart. She already knew that Shinobu looked up to the man she called Sensei and that Motoko idolized him as well. Actually everyone else at the Sou looked up to Ranma in some regard. None of them had anything bad to say about him really.

But why had Naru suddenly broken up with Ranma? And why did he suddenly vanish? Sure, he supposedly left to attend some university, but everyone knew that the universities in Japan didn't start until the spring and he'd left in the dead of winter.

The only think she could think of was that while Naru loved Ranma, he didn't love her completely. Why else had he left right before Christmas only to appear a week later? Things just didn't add up.

"Then you know why I'm here?"

Ukyo nodded. "Have a seat."

The young girl nodded, accepting the offered seat by the grill. Though she'd walked with Shinobu plenty of times to the restaurant, she'd never dared enter it. But with Shinobu and Motoko gone on a club event, Mei finally had a chance to enter the establishment without the other girls interfering or catching on to why she was there.

"You're Ranma's sister-in-law, right?"

The chef nodded. Years of reading her clients allowed the skilled cook to select an appropriate selection for the inquisitive girl as Ukyo began to cook.

"Why'd he leave?"

The sizzle of hot metal melting soft butter filled the void between the two as Ukyo eyed Mei. "He felt that Todai was no longer the best place for him."

"Where'd he go?"

"Probably abroad."

"Why?"

"Probably to see the world and get away from the woman who broke his heart."

Mei froze. "But nee-chan's the one with a broken heart."

Spreading the melted butter Ukyo sighed. "Both of them had their hearts broken."

Again the young girl paused, this time to process what the older woman was telling her.

"Perhaps it was just time for them to move on," a twinge of sadness was evident in the older woman's voice.

"Why? They were so happy! Why can't they just be happy together?"

Though she'd promised herself that she'd remain strong, Mei couldn't help but cry. She'd watched her sister endure the pain of having her now ex-boyfriend leave the Sou as he gave up on the pursuit of their common goal. She'd watched as Naru grew cold and distant, slowly withdrawing from everyone as she threw herself into her studies, exams, and then into her new classes. Though Naru smiled, it was a forced smile as though the muscles in her face were simply presenting a happy look. Having seen the auburn haired beauty smile Mei knew that something was missing – it was the twinkling light in her bright amber eyes.

* * *

The short flight into Tokyo (short when compared to the flight John had back to Hawaii, then to California then to New York) had been his first and quite possibly the last considering how much it actually cost (thankfully John's friend had arranged and paid for the flight). In all honesty, Ranma wasn't sure what he'd expected upon his return to Japan. Seeing someone doing a bad Vash the Stampede cos-play definitely had not been what he'd expected. Though it was clear to him that she was a girl, Ranma could see why so many people thought she really was a guy. The black leather coat, spiked bleach blond hair, and her rough demeanor suggested that she was a guy, but the heavy coat couldn't hide her B-cups no matter how hard she tried to bind them.

'_Ranma Saotome?'_ a gruff voice demanded.

'_Telepathy – man, I didn't give you permission to enter my head.'_

'_Get over it. And I'm not trying to look like Vash and they're not bound.'_

Guarding his thoughts, Ranma glared at the girl (?). _'Not another uncute tomboy.'_

'_I'm not a tomboy! I'm a lesbian!'_

'_Bull-dyke,' _Ranma corrected.

'_Bastard! Immortal or not, I'm going to castrate you and make sure that it doesn't grow back!'_

'_Whatever,'_ he thought as he walked past the leather clad cross-dressing lesbian. _'I don't need to learn black magic from some two bit hack.'_

He didn't bother to look back at her as he walked through the terminal and out of the airport. He didn't even need to use his enhanced senses to know that she was following after him as best as she could without blasting through the crowd.

"She's not here to teach you anything," a gruff voice stated.

So focused on eluding the girl was he that Ranma barely noticed the imposing presence of the mountain of a man before him. Adorned in the traditional robes of an esoteric Buddhist monk and wielding a forged hollow staff the powerful man stood before the immortal.

"We're here to offer you a job."

"Not interested," Ranma muttered. "John's told me all about you guys."

The muscular priest scowled.

"And Pan's told me a bit too."

The rings on the monk's staff rattled as the large man trembled in unspoken rage, a clear sign that Kyoichi had told her associate about the true nature of the powerful undead priest.

"But," Ranma said as the blond approached him, "that doesn't mean that I wouldn't be adverse to doing some freelance work, at a cost of course."

The two government agents exchanged a look before turning their gaze onto Ranma.

Kyoichi scowled, "Fine. A onetime job."

Curious, Ranma's piercing blue eyes locked with the soft hazel eyes of the lesbian.

"This way," the monk ordered as he guided the others into a large SUV.

The immortal martial artist hesitated. In his entire life he'd never ridden in a car.

"It's warded to keep people from listening in," Kyoichi explained, mistaking his hesitation for caution.

But her remark was enough to prompt him to cast a simple cantrip that allowed him to get a feel for the types of magic used on the vehicle. Confident that they weren't misleading him, he entered the front seat, allowing the monk to take up the entire back seat while Kyoichi took the wheel.

With the doors closed, Ranma waited for the pair to present their case. In truth the immortal wasn't looking to work for them, merely use them to get a better feel of how their magical organization was structured and what role it had with the government.

Rather than turn on the engine, the blond turned to him. "Open the glove compartment."

He did as instructed, allowing his curiosity to overcome his rational side. Taking the manila folder he glanced at it before opening it. "Dr. Ono Tofu. You've found him?"

"No," the monk replied gruffly. "We've simply caught wind of him."

"The man you once knew has come to our agency's attention," Kyoichi said, cutting off the monk. "We suspect he's been dealing with demons, possibly trafficking in demonic goods."

"But you're not sure."

The blond glanced at the monk before nodding.

Scanning over the documents Ranma paused. "'Suspect unleashed sex imps'?"

"They poses people and make them give into their carnal desires," the monk explained. "Only those who are weak of mind and resolve are affected directly."

"That doesn't seem to be too bad." _'Good think Cologne never used those on me back in Nerima.'_

"Keep reading," the blond suggested.

He did just that. "He released them in Hinata?"

"Fortunately the Shinmeiryu heiress dispatched them," the monk muttered.

Ranma nodded. Flipping over the paper he examined the other cases linked to the once easy going doctor. "Black market organ trafficking, selling demonic organs to humans."

The immortal paused as he looked at the pictures. Tearing his eyes away from the photos of the deceased girls, he scowled.

"Akane Tendo," Kyoichi said, nodding her head. "We've confirmed that genetically they're all her, but we suspect that he's somehow gotten his hands on water from"

"The Spring of Drowned Akane." His hands trembled as he held the dossier. Each of the mangled remains had a message for him from the Doctor.

"Technically, we can't nab him for organ trafficking as Akane Tendo has been listed as deceased for over ten years now. We've managed to confirm that none of the victims was originally human, so it's technically not illegal. What concerns us though are the corpses he's left around."

Ranma gulped. He knew where she was going. If the doctor kept this up people would begin to suspect that magic existed, thus endangering the magic users. And then there were the ethical debates over transforming an animal into a human so that you could harvest their organs.

"There are a few things I'm going to need," he finally said as he closed the dossier. "And I'm going to need them quick."

* * *

The gentle spring breeze felt refreshing to the buxom brunette as she entered the onsen. For the first time in a long time the Sou was actually quiet. It helped that Shinobu, Su and Motoko were both gone on overnight trips with their clubs and that Mei was out with her friends from school. Even Kitsune was busy with as she needed to go to her doctor for a regular check up.

Fully expecting to have the onsen to herself, Mutsumi was shocked to find the elusive Naru Narusegawa standing in the middle of the onsen.

"Naru?" she exclaimed, unsure if she were hallucinating or if her friend was actually there.

"Huh?" the auburn haired beauty returned as she turned around. "Oh, hey Mutsumi."

"I thought you had a club activity today."

"I did; just didn't feel up to it today so I decided not to go."

"Oh."

For a moment the buxom beauty stood there, unsure what to do. Finally she found herself stepping into the hot water even as Naru glanced up at the clouds overhead.

"Are you alright?" Mutsumi ventured to inquire.

"Yeah," Naru replied reflexively.

"It's been a while since we've had time to talk."

The other woman nodded, tentatively sitting a few meters from her friend. "Yeah."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

Gently, slowly, Mutsumi moved closer to her friend as though she were afraid that the other woman would bolt at any second.

"How are your clubs going?"

"Okay."

"And your classes? I heard that Toshi-sensei's classes are difficult."

"No, it's… nice. It's the only class that I really enjoy…"

She wasn't sure why, but Naru's response made her stop as she tried to move closer to her friend. "Really?"

Naru nodded.

"Is there a boy in the class you like?"

The auburn haired beauty blushed as she shook her head. "No, nothing like that. You know that I was allowed into his class because I won the beauty pageant for all the new students, right?"

Mutsumi nodded. The auburn haired girl had been the clear winner of the annual pageant that the upperclassmen organized after the opening ceremony. One of the prizes for the winning student was allowing her into any one introductory class of her choice. Naru had chosen singing, more as an elective, but partially because the organizers of the pageant wanted to push her as a new idol. Though it took a bit of work, they had convinced her to at least take singing lessons in hopes of someday releasing an album and possibly a photo book.

"Well, when he sings I can feel the powerful emotions behind the words," Naru said, her vision blurred as her voice cracked. "It's moving. But when he plays the piano… it's… it's breath taking. He says that I could sing, that my voice could even be popular with the right lyrics. But I know I'll never have the power or soul that his fingers have."

A gentle stream of tears began streaming down her cheeks as she felt a tightness in her breast.

Gentle hands and arms wrapped around her trembling frame. "Naru? It's alright."

She shook her head, not even bothering to wipe away her tears. "No, it's not alright. I drove him away! I drove him into Motoko's arms!"

Startled, Mutsumi tried to keep up with the sudden transition that their conversation had taken.

"Ranma will always have his art," the sobbing woman proclaimed. "It's chaotic, destructive, yet beautiful. When I watched him sparring with the others it was like poetry in motion. I didn't realize it until Toshi-sensei played the piano that watching Ranma fight or even just spar made me happy. I know I'll never be as good as he is, but just having him around, knowing that he'd be there for me made me happy. I've never felt so happy before and I drove him away!"

Though she had hoped to have Naru open up to her, Mutsumi had not expected this torrent of emotion streaming from her friend. "It's alright," she whispered soothingly. "He's coming back."

"But he's coming back for her," the hysterical woman sobbed. "He promised her he'd come back. He didn't even speak to me when he left."

"Then you know what you need to do, right?"

The flood of sobs slowed down as Naru tried to collect herself, "What?"

"Talk to him. Be honest with him," the older woman advised. "Speak from the heart," she said as she pressed her hand to the other woman's breast, "not from up here" she added as she tapped her friend's forehead.

For the first time in a long time a smile graced Naru's face. Weak as it was, the genuine smile reached her gentle amber eyes.

* * *

Time changes everything, Ranma understood that. Still, he hadn't expected Nerima to change that much in the decade since he'd left. True, he'd heard that many of the old masters had moved away, some even passing on the mantle of their duties and responsibilities to their children as they retired. And there were also the new dojos that had popped up to fill in the void left by those dojos that had closed for good.

He'd come back to Nerima expecting to find the ruined remains of the Tendo dojo. To his surprise a small park had been erected instead. It felt cold, hollow even. To think that some of the greatest martial artists in Japan's history had passed through or over the once proud walls that separated the Tendo estate from the rest of the neighborhood, yet now there was nothing to commemorate those proud artists.

Several small children played on the swings, marry-go-round, and jungle gym, a few even jumping around and fighting. The dozen or so children were all around the same age, but only some of them appearing to be related. That brought a slight smile to his face.

"So," a cold voice greeted him, "you really came."

"How could I not?" Ranma forced out. "You're holding my children hostage."

"So you see the resemblance," the doctor said rather than asked.

"What happened to you?" Ranma demanded. "How did the caring doctor become such a fucked up bastard?"

The doctor wore a wicked smile as he looked at the children. "Kasumi died because of you! It's all your fault!" he hissed, venom lacing every syllable.

Ranma shook his head, a pang of sadness weighing on his heart. "You're nothing like the man I once respected."

Before the doctor could even respond Ranma lashed out with a vicious kick.

Ten years of studying the mystic arts had not dulled the doctor's physical skills as he expertly leapt over the attack.

"You're a fool!" the doctor admonished as evaded a series of punches from the immortal. "Don't you think I expected you to attack me?"

"Of course you would," Ranma grunted as he took to the air and unleashed another volley of blindingly quick punches. "But you think I'm the same guy I was ten years ago too!"

As if to prove his point the children in the playground slumped over, gently falling to the ground as a sleep spell claimed them.

"What?"

"I've made new friends," Ranma explained. A lucky punch broke through the distracted doctor's defenses, connecting with his jaw and sending him flying into the wall behind him. "And I've learned new tricks. I already scanned the area for traps, magical or scientific, and once I was sure that the kids were safe I made my move."

As if to prove his point several figures appeared around the vacant lot turned park.

"Bastard!" Dr. Tofu cried out as he pushed himself to his feet. "Do you think that this is my only plan?"

"We'll just have to find out," Ranma replied as he charged in.

An uncharacteristic offensive display greeted the doctor as Ranma pressed his advantage. Swift yet powerful blows were parried and deflected, but the onslaught could not be stopped as a punch, knee, kick slipped past the harried doctor's defenses. Cornered, Dr. Tofu could only endure the beating that Ranma unleashed as the immortal martial artist picked apart his defense with a combination of cunning and force.

"I really wanted to put you out of your misery," Ranma stated as he pushed the other man up against the concrete wall. "But since you've apparently got other tricks up your sleeve, I guess I gotta keep you around."

A punishing punch connected with the doctor's stomach, forcefully expelling the air from his lungs.

"That's enough!"

Ranma pushed the panting man against the wall, forcing him to stand up straight as Ryoga and Tsuruko approached him.

"We'll take him from here," the esoteric monk stated even as Kyoichi muttered a spell.

The short fight had been anticlimactic, but the rage he felt at seeing his offspring and knowing that the doctor was using them against him had angered the usually carefree immortal.

"We'll check to see what else he's been up to," the black mage stated as she handcuffed the doctor. "Whatever magic he was using should be sealed.

"We'll do what we can to get them the right documents," Kyoichi stated as she glanced at the unconscious children. "It's going to be tricky, but it shouldn't be too hard."

"What are you going to do about the children?" Tsuruko asked as she cradled a child to her bosom.

Gently Ryoga brushed a lock of hair out of the child's face. "They're definitely yours."

"We'll take care of that," Eishun said as he gently lifted two children.

The scruffy blond man beside him nodded.

Ryoga shook his head. "You went from being a bachelor to the father of… what, a dozen?"

"A baker's dozen," the elder Shinmeiryu swordsman stated. "But it looks like only three are his. We'll have to run tests to make sure, but the rest look like kids from the neighborhood."

"That's because they are," a new voice confirmed.

Only Ranma didn't tense as a well groomed man appeared before them. Though he held the shape of a man of Eastern European descent, everyone still conscious knew that he was anything but human.

"Graf," Ranma greeted as he held out his arms to reassure the others.

"Ranma," the demon returned. "I must thank you for freeing me from my imprisonment."

The immortal martial artist stood his ground.

"Still, that doesn't clear your debt to me," the demon stated.

"What are you going to do, take his first born son?" Kyoichi grumbled as she eyed the greater demon in human form.

"If I were a fairy perhaps," Graf said, a slight smile gracing his bearded face. "No, I simply want the strongest one," he explained as he pointed to the one in Tsuruko's arms.

Ranma moved to protect his son.

"Three years," the demon said. "I'll train him in my arts for three years. Then he's yours again. You can even see him on holidays."

"Don't trust him; demons can't be trusted," the black mage stated.

"Normally," Ranma ceded.

"But you can speak my tongue now, can't you?" Graf asked as he spoke in the demonic language.

Grateful for his time in Scholomance, Ranma nodded. "He's not to kill anything nor is he to be placed in any life threatening situations."

"Agreed," Graf replied. "Keep the staff. When you wish to see him just tap it against the ground."

Again Ranma nodded. "Tsuruko."

"You can't be serious!" Ryoga exclaimed.

The pigtailed immortal's piercing blue eyes locked with the hard brown of his grandmaster's. "I know what I'm doing."

Reluctantly, Ryoga relented. Had it been anyone else he would have held firm with his instincts, but it was Ranma's son.

Taking his child from Tsuruko, Ranma felt a slight pang of regret as he handed the boy to the demon. It wasn't that he didn't trust Graf to hold up his end of the agreement, but that he had not been able to bond with the boy yet. It was something he'd be sure to do with the others.

"Be good," he instructed the slumbering child. "Be good, Hiro."

With the child in his arms, Graf nodded. In the blink of an eye he and the child were gone.

"Ryoga," the immortal said as he eyed the remaining boy and girl.

"I'll watch after them," the grandmaster stated.

"We'll raise them as our own," Tsuruko added.

The immortal smiled. Reaching into his pack he pulled out a special box and his mother's sword. Opening it, he extracted a mushroom. Splitting it in two, he placed one half in the boy's mouth, "Be good Akira," then the other half in the girl's mouth, "Be good Ryoko."

In an instant the two children shrunk.

Carefully, lovingly, he cleaned the blade before returning it to its sheath. "Make sure she knows how to use this," he said as he held the weapon out to Ryoga.

The grandmaster nodded. "I will."

* * *

It felt like a lifetime had passed since she'd played with the midnight black mongrel. Though the old dog was now a young pup thanks to the magic mushrooms, the formidable beast was full of vitality and energy, just like a pup should be.

The playful barking combined with the long overdue cry she'd had in the onsen helped to lift the heavy air that had surrounded her for the past six months. For the first time in a long time Naru Narusegawa opted to just enjoy the evening rather than bury herself in her homework or club activities.

Playful barking suddenly changed into a more urgent cry as Kage ran for the door.

Not wanting the dog to get lost in his excitement to chase after a squirrel or some stray cat, Naru sprang to her feet as she gave chase. With the fresh spring breeze blowing through the open front door Naru knew that nothing stood between the energetic pup and the outside. Despite his size the little mangy beast was deceptively quick, reaching the door as she cleared the sofa.

"Kage?"

The little pup sprang into the air, somehow reaching his master's chest in one bound. Gentle, affectionate licks kept the immortal martial artist occupied as Naru tentatively eyed her former lover.

Her stomach twisted into a knot even as her heart pounded in her breast. "Ranma?"

Startled, the master martial artist turned to her.

Though she'd only spent a few months with him, the fact that they'd been intimate lovers for even the short span of three months made it all the easier for Naru to read Ranma's expressions. The puzzled and yet anxious look on his face told her that he was unsure of himself, at least in regards to her.

"Narusegawa," he muttered as he averted his eyes. "You're doing well."

She opened her mouth fully intending to say that she was, yet those were not the words that came out. "No, I haven't."

Startled, both of them looked into each others' eyes.

"I made it into Todai," she stated. "But I was miserable without you around."

Seeing past his bravado, she took a tentative step forward. Ranma rarely ever spoke of his feelings, never willing to admit to being weak or even to doubt his decisions or actions. Yet she knew that he was mulling over his doubts right now.

"I can't do this again," he said as he shook his head and held out his arm to stop her. "Not again."

"Please," she pleaded, "please just listen to me."

He wanted to just ignore her, to run away and leave her far behind, but he knew he couldn't. Emotionally and physically spent, he walked up to his room with her following behind.

Taking advantage of wiriness Naru waited for her opportunity.

Ranma set Kage down, tapping the floor to order the smart dog to guard the entrance to his room.

"What?" the exhausted immortal asked as he closed the door to his room. A clear and noticeable edge to his voice told her that he didn't have the energy for a prolonged discussion.

Taking a deep breath, Naru reached out for his hand as she knelt before him. "I know that I said I wanted a man I could take home to meet my parents, but I realized that that isn't what I really wanted. I was focused and driven, but I was empty inside the entire time. I didn't realize how much better you made me."

The immortal shook his head. "I can't… I just can't right now."

She wasn't sure how long they sat there like that, neither one able to say anything else.

* * *

Sundays had come to be Motoko's favorite day of the week. Not only did it mean a day free of school, it also meant that there was open sparring at _Saotome's Grill_. Unfortunately today wasn't one of those Sundays as the kendo club had an overnight trip for their special sparring session with the once infamous Furinkan High School. Though the school in the Nerima District was once home to a two time national champion, Nerima held special significance to for Motoko. Her recent connection to the infamous Ranma Saotome as well as to Ryoga Hibiki bound her to the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

She wanted to stay, to walk the district in hopes of achieving a better understanding of the man that she loved but was unsure if he loved her back. Yet an unexpected call from the one person she was most surprised to hear from prompted her to return to the Hinata Sou as quickly as possible.

Making a quick call to the Grill she wasn't surprised that Konatsu and Ukyo had agreed to give her the day off as both had heard of Ranma's surprising return.

Rushing home she didn't bother rushing up to her room.

"Dojo," Shinobu said as the younger girl directed the kendoka towards her sensei.

It didn't surprise her that the de-aged Kage was standing guard outside of the immortal's dojo. What did surprise her was that Naru Narusegawa was sitting across from Ranma. Neither seemed to be willing to say anything and were content to simply sit in silence.

Unsure of what to make of the situation, Motoko paused at the door. For a moment she felt slightly awkward in her school's summer outfit as the dark blue pleated skirt and matching shirt both needed to be cleaned.

Abruptly Naru stood up, excusing herself. "I'll be outside."

Taking a moment to compose herself Motoko assumed Naru's position across from Ranma. The usually steady blue eyes lacked their usual energy and flare, almost appearing as though the man were defeated.

"How are you?" she found herself asking.

A slight shrug answered her.

"Where did you go?"

"School, traveling."

"Anywhere interesting?"

A shrug answered her.

For minutes Motoko couldn't think of anything to say. This wasn't the Ranma that had left the Hinata Sou months ago. Yes, he had the same appearance as the one who had left, but his demeanor was completely different.

"Why don't I leave you to your thoughts," she finally said, excusing herself.

Leaving in silence, the unnerved kendoka exited the dojo. Crossing over the threshold she felt an immediate change in atmosphere.

"Nothing?" Naru asked hopefully.

Motoko shook her head.

"What happened?"

The kendoka shrugged, unsure. "Something happened in Nerima."

The auburn haired woman looked at the other woman. "When?"

"Last night," Motoko replied. "My sister and her husband were called to Nerima last night."

"Wait"

"I was in Nerima, but not for whatever happened."

Naru nodded.

Both women stood before the dojo, contemplating their options.

"We need to work together," Naru suggested.

To say that she was surprised would have been an understatement. "Wha?"

"You love Ranma, right?"

Motoko blushed. Steeling herself, she nodded.

"I love him too. I realize that I may not deserve him after all I've done, but we both know that that isn't the Ranma that we love."

Motoko nodded.

"That isn't the man that either of us love."

Again the kendoka nodded. "What do you propose we do?"

"We fight him."

If Motoko had been surprised before, then there were no words to describe what she was currently experiencing as Naru proposed her plan.

"Ranma used to tell me that sometimes a fighter can only communicate with another fighter with their fists," Naru said sagely. "I realize we're not on his level as martial artists, but if we're willing to prove to him how serious we are, I'm sure he's going to open up to us eventually."

Gulping, Motoko found herself agreeing with the other woman's twisted logic.

The two women exchanged one final, encouraging look before entering the dojo.

The fact that Ranma didn't even bother looking up at them as they entered was sign enough that he was still lost in his own world.

Taking the initiative, Naru rushed in with her trademark punch.

Motoko half expected Ranma to take the punch, half expected him to dodge at the last second. She completely astounded when Ranma countered with a punch to his former lover's stomach. It wasn't an all out punch, but it did stop Naru in her tracks.

Instinct kicked in as the kendoka watched her friend and rival take the punishing hit. Bokken in hand the kendoka rushed in with a powerful overhead slash.

A swift middle roundhouse connected with her shoulder sending her flying.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Ranma exclaimed.

"You're not talking," Naru gasped.

"So you're going to attack me?"

Both girls pulled themselves up to their knees. Again they exchanged a look, then turned to him before nodding. "Yeah," they said in unison.

"That's… that's asinine."

"What the hell's going on with you?" Naru demanded.

"You're not the man that we fell in love with."

Ranma clinched his teeth. "Fine, you want a fight, bring it."

Needing no further prompting, the two girls forced themselves onto their feet.

As the faster of the two, Motoko led the assault thus giving Naru room and time to find an opening in Ranma's defenses.

The cunning immortal saw through the ruse. He could have kicked her wrist or hands, disarming her in the process, but he opted not to. Instead he slapped aside the fire hardened wood before passing her guard. Seven pinpoint strikes rewarded the tall kendoka for her efforts as Ranma opted to go easy on her. Besides, he had what he needed.

"You guys should just give up," he advised as he rushed past Motoko and set his sights on Naru.

"Not until you talk to us!" the fiery woman replied. Throwing another of her trademark punches Naru waited for him to either dodge or parry.

White cloth suddenly bound her outstretched arm as Ranma looped part of Motoko's bindings around Naru. With her arm suddenly trapped Naru was spun around. Unable to process what was going on she found herself planted on the ground, her wrists now firmly bound together.

"Bastard!" Motoko exclaimed.

Even with her hands bound, Naru knew she wasn't out of the fight. With Ranma holding onto the other end of the bindings she waited for the right moment to strike. Just as Ranma was trying to loop the bindings to trap Motoko's bokken the auburn haired beauty sprang to her feet and pulled hard on the bindings.

Though he kept his feet, the lack of slack from the bindings kept him from using Motoko's bindings against her. Narrowly avoiding the thrust with a well timed sidestep he was dodged the right hook that Motoko followed up her initial attack with.

It took a moment for Naru to realize that Motoko's shirt had been undone when Ranma had managed to steal the girl's bindings. Sudden inspiration flashed through the intelligent Todai student's mind. Though she lacked Ranma's control and precision, Naru hoped that she could pull it off. Taking several steps towards Ranma she grabbed hold of the now slack bindings even as Ranma continued to engage Motoko. Again she waited for an opportunity to throw off Ranma. This time she not only hoped to disrupt his defenses, but to capture his wrist as she sought to loop the binding around his hand.

As brilliant as her tactics might have been, the more experienced immortal had seen through her plan. Just as she pulled against him he released his end of the bindings. Capturing Motoko's wrist in his powerful hands he rolled back and kicked out, catapulting the kendoka into the air.

Thrown off balance by her failed ploy, Naru landed on her firm rump and watched as Motoko flew through the air. The kendoka attempted to twist in the air so that she could land on her feet but the clear difference in her aerial ability and Ranma's was evident as she failed to manipulate the momentum of her body.

At the last possible moment Ranma snatched her out of the air, catching her in his arms. Just as quickly he shifted her weight as he set her down on her feet, her arms trapped behind her as he held onto her wrists. Somehow he'd managed to take up the other end of the bindings again, this time using them to bind Motoko's wrists behind her back.

"You're beat," he stated.

With Ranma standing so close to her, Motoko simply leaned back against him, her hands grabbing hold of his most sensitive body part. "Not yet," she muttered.

Naru couldn't help but blush as the sight of an immodest Motoko doing something that Naru had done many times with Ranma. The kendoka's shirt was wide open and her temporary flight had only helped reveal more of her soft, creamy skin as the fabric slowly slid down her slender arms.

Having been intimate with Ranma Naru knew that Ranma was tempted. The audible gulp and momentary flash of panic that appeared on his face had appeared that night in the love hotel.

Six months of celibacy had taken a toll on both of them. Despite her position Naru couldn't help but feel slightly aroused as she watched Motoko attempt to seduce Ranma. Little did she (and Ranma) know that Konatsu had instructed the kendoka in the kunoichi arts of seduction.

Skillful fingers worked their magic on the underutilized body part. Six months of abstinence had definitely taken its toll on the immortal martial artist.

His heart was still pumping from the brief fight, but now his attention was diverted towards another physical activity as he returned Motoko's ministrations by hiking up her skirt with one hand, and caressing her flat stomach with his other. Hungry hands sought the firm yet soft womanly flesh as he gave into his desires.

Motoko yelped as he tweaked her nipple a bit harder than she'd expected. Unused to the sensation the virgin tried to turn towards Ranma. "Be gentle," she pleaded.

In all the times she'd been with him Ranma had always been a considerate lover. But this Ranma was different. Like a wolf eagerly gorging itself after starving all winter Ranma attacked Motoko's body. Strong hands groped Motoko's breasts roughly before he finally slide one hand down her panty to caress her untouched womanhood.

Naru found herself on her feet, rushing towards the pair of would be lovers. "Stop it," she cried out as she tackled the two, knocking them all off their feet.

The impact was enough to bring Ranma back to his senses. "Sorry," he muttered. It didn't help that Motoko's firm rear end was now straddling his very hard cock.

Unsure what to do, the trio continued to lay/sit there in a tangled mess.

"It's alright," Motoko finally said, breaking the pregnant silence. "For the longest time I've wanted this… well, I've wanted you…"

"I know."

Naru wanted to be anywhere but here. This wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"But I still love Naru."

It was Motoko's turn to feel like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

"And I do love you too Motoko."

Again the awkward silence filled the dojo as the two women tried to reign in their emotions and processed what he was saying to them both.

"I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately," he said as he gently untied Motoko. "Well, mostly since last night really."

Both women eyed him, neither sure what he was going to say to them.

"I'm not a normal guy and I've come to accept that. Still, I do want some sense of normality in my life. Somewhere I can go or someone I can be with who helps me forget that I'm not normal. Sometimes I'm just going to need to get away from all the shit that is bound to happen.

"I realize that I can't always be there for both of you, but I'll try to do what I can to make you both happy, because both of you have helped me find a happiness that I thought I couldn't achieve or wasn't worthy of having.

"I've only got a few months here before I go back to school, but before I go back I've got a lot of things to sort out."

Both women nodded.

"I realize that I'm not going to be the guy you take home to meet your parents or who you're going to grow old with, and if you ever want to leave or don't want me around just tell me and I'll go."

"So what happened last night?" the kendoka dared to ask. Slowly she turned around so that she was now facing Ranma. The fact that he had an unobstructed view of her perky breasts didn't bother her in the least. She also didn't care to mention to the other woman that she could feel his erection pressed against her moist womanhood. Only several thin layers of fabric separated them.

Stalling, Ranma turned to Naru as he focused on the bindings on her wrists.

"You remember how they said Dr. Tofu had my, you know, swimmers?"

The girls nodded.

"Well, he's used my swimmers."

The recent revelation hit both women hard.

"I've got three kids that I know of."

"Three?" Naru exclaimed.

"Possibly more."

* * *

Naru couldn't help but think that nothing could kill a mood worse than finding out that Ranma had three children or that he might have more. The fact that he'd given the strongest and now oldest of his children to a demon to raise had been, made almost all the other revelations and surprises seem tame in comparison.

Sure, Ranma had warmed up after the trio had cleaned up the dojo, but he still seemed distant. Motoko had been similar as she was most likely overwhelmed by everything as well. Despite the late hour she knew she couldn't sleep, not when she had to process everything that she'd found out over the course of the day.

She wasn't sure why, but Naru found herself sneaking down to Ranma's room. It's been nearly six months since she'd done something like this, maybe longer.

It helped that the de-aged Kage was sleeping in Shinobu's room as the pup had grown accustomed to staying with his master's lone pupil.

Slipping into Ranma's room, she wasn't surprised to see that he was wide awake. Despite his exhaustion his mind was running on overtime as he tried to calculate every possible facet and factor, as well as how that affected his life. It was odd seeing him so deep in thought when he wasn't performing inhuman feats of martial arts mastery.

"Hey," Ranma whispered as he glanced at her.

Seeing him pull up the edge of his covers she walked over to his bed. It was like old times as she slipped under the covers, resting her head on his chest. "It's a lot to think about."

"Yeah."

They lay there for minutes, maybe longer, neither one sure what to say.

Six months of nothing slowly ate away at her ability to control herself as Naru's fingers began to caress his bare chest.

Before she could do anything more the door to Ranma's room slid open, forcing the two lovers to look up at Motoko.

"Oh," the kendoka exclaimed. "Um…"

"Come join us," Naru purred. Mutsumi was right, she could share the man she loved.

Though Motoko was hesitant at first, she stepped into the room before sliding the door close behind her.

"Couldn't sleep?" Naru teased as she sat up, pulling the covers off of Ranma.

Tentatively Motoko walked towards the bed.

Taking advantage of the darkness, Naru reached out and grabbed hold of Motoko's hand, pulling her into bed and atop of Ranma. "I'm sure this isn't how you imagined your first time would be," she whispered to the taller woman.

"Technically it's not her first time," Ranma teased.

Positioning herself behind the taller woman, Naru began to unbutton Motoko's shirt. The silky fabric felt cool in her hand as she slowly revealed more and more of the kendoka's smooth, creamy skin.

Although Ranma had already seen Motoko topless before the sight of Naru undressing Motoko made Ranma hard. It was like a scene from one of Keitaro's dojinshi actually. But actually having the scene played out in real life was amazing really. Yes, Ranma couldn't and wouldn't complain.

Reaching up as Naru undid the last button, Ranma began to tenderly massage her perky breasts, gingerly teasing her pale pink nipples.

Sitting up he took one of her now erect nipples into his mouth eliciting a gentle moan of pleasure from the young virgin. With her pressed up against him as he sat up he could feel Naru's fingers snaking down into Motoko's pajama pants and panties. Pulling his mouth away from her delicious nipple, Ranma muttered a quick silencing spell before he resumed his treat.

Motoko's entire body shuddered as he nibbled on the sensitive nub of flesh.

Gently he lay bad down at Naru's urging as the auburn haired beauty pushed him and Motoko down to the mattress. With his head cradled to her breasts he took time to enjoy while also discovering how to best excite his new lover. In the back of his mind he registered that Naru was slowly removing Motoko's pajama pants and panties before removing her own sleepwear. Skilled fingers savored the job of exploring the slender kendoka's lovely body as he mentally noted each time his fingers or lips and tongue hit a nerve that would either elicit a moan or cause her to tremble in pleasure. Lifting his hips off the mattress to allow Naru to remove his boxers, Ranma slowly trailed kisses up Motoko's neck until he reached her quivering lips.

Years of harsh training had not prepared Motoko for the wave of weakness that seemed to claim every muscle in her body as she involuntarily shuddered each time Ranma found a new sensitive spot that only increased her desire for him. It wasn't until Ranma was completely naked that Motoko froze as she actually felt the head of his hot, hard cock pressed against her thigh.

"It's alright," Ranma said reassuringly as he took her hand and guided it to his hard cock.

Following Ranma's lead, Naru wrapped her hand around Motoko's, guiding the younger woman as she explored the wondrous appendage.

The kendoka kept her eyes latched onto Ranma's erection as Naru showed her how to gently stroke it. Her training momentarily forgotten, Motoko marveled at the sight of Ranma's erect cock in her hand.

In a day of surprises, Naru had one more in store for the others as she kissed the head of Ranma's cock.

A gasp of surprise escaped Ranma's lips as he watched Naru take his other head into her mouth. The feel of her tongue lapping the sensitive foreskin of that pooled around the head of his cock sent a shiver of unimaginable pleasure through his body.

Suddenly aware of his parched throat, Ranma licked his lips as he lay back in his bed. Fingers and toes curled as immense pleasure coursed through his body culminating in him exploding in Naru's mouth. Catching the aroused woman by surprise, he unloaded into her surprisingly eager mouth, filling the orifice with six months of pent up sexual desire.

Because he'd gone without any release since Christmas, Ranma needed little coaxing to regain or in this case maintain his erection as Motoko began to employ secret kunoichi tricks to the surprisingly powerful appendage. The air was full of the combined scent of arousal of both women as they worked together to please him and each other.

Finally Motoko deemed that he was ready. With deliberate effort she knelt over his groin, positioning herself directly over his rigid cock. With one hand she guided him to a place that no man had ever been before. The feel of her juices and tight pussy enveloping him was wondrous, and she still had yet to take all of him.

Time was not measured in minutes or seconds, but in millimeters as she slowly impaled herself on him. He could feel her lithe body shudder each time she paused to take a deep breath as the pleasure built up inside of her.

A moan of pleasure escaped her mouth even as she grit her teeth, trying to suppress her orgasm. But it was like holding back the ocean with a pebble as she finally relented and let out a powerful moan.

Even as Motoko orgasmed Naru lay beside Ranma, kissing his shoulder then up his neck even as she lay on her side. He could smell her arousal. In all the time that they'd been intimate he'd never seen her finger herself. The sight only heightened his arousal and desire. The fact that two beautiful women were with him and were willing to share him was mind blowing.

But that didn't matter to him right now. Reaching up he grabbed hold of Motoko's perky breasts as she finally regained her composure. One final thrust of her hips and Ranma was completely inside of her. Both of them took a moment to savor the feeling.

Gentle rocking of her hips built up the tempo of their lovemaking as Motoko refused to relinquish control, not that Ranma cared. More gasps and moans of pleasure filled the room as the kendoka rode him harder and harder as she became accustomed to having him inside of her.

Having just cum recently, Ranma knew that it would be a while before he came again, but who was he to complain? He delighted in the fact that both women orgasmed again and again, one from her own ministrations and the other from having him inside of her.

Drenched in sweat, Motoko finally relented after her third orgasm. Panting, she collapsed onto him.

Taking the over, Ranma gently rolled them over so that he was now on top. Lifting her long, slender legs into the air, he press them together as he leaned forward, lifting her beautiful buttocks off the mattress and giving him a better angle to thrust into her. Perched on his hands and knees, Ranma gently thrust into her.

Slow, deliberate thrusts elicited groans of pleasure from his new lover as he purposely positioned himself to see how Motoko reacted to it. After several minutes he slowly leaned back, allowing her to rest her to her back flat on the mattress. Spreading her legs wide he lowered himself to her breasts, licking the salty sweat soaked nipples as he teased her nipples.

Legs entwined, they both thrust their hips, slowly matching each others' rhythm. The sound of sweat drenched skin colliding mixed with their gasps and groans. He could feel every muscle in his well honed and trained body tensing as he once again approached his climax. Faster and faster he thrust into her, driving his hardened rod deeper and deeper into Motoko with each furious thrust until he finally unleashed his torrent of desire in her depths.

Spent, he collapsed onto her, panting for breath that particular muscle continued to spasm within his newly christened lover.

No thoughts filled his keen mind, only the overpowering sensations of fulfillment, happiness, and contentment that being with the two lovely women beside and beneath him brought.

Cause and effect – perhaps this moment was just the calm before a storm or perhaps it was a reward for all the crap he'd endured in his life. Either way, Ranma was happy, truly happy. And he had found peace of mind.

Though he might live for centuries, Ranma felt energized with renewed purpose.

* * *

A/N

I think I'll end this series here.

Yeah, I said that Naru x Ranma was done, but I just couldn't let it go. I tried to move this series into another series and away from LH, but I just couldn't.

I hope you all enjoyed this fic.

Dreamingfox


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Notes –

Another year as come and gone; a new year looms before us. Though I meant to work on some of my other fics I ended up watching nearly half of Supernatural. Yes, that show is good, and I'm glad I found the first three seasons on sale too (I also picked up the 4th and 5th seasons as well).

Oh, and Go Packers!

Yes, this is my newest project. Yes, it's a sequel to My Immortal. I guess I just couldn't leave things where they were and needed to move away from the LH setting, but expect some LH characters to appear.

Speech in the "" is Japanese, speech in ** is English.

* * *

Naru Narusegawa was not what most would call a typical young woman. For starters she was a Todai graduate. While many hopeful students applied only 1% was accepted each year. Considering the prestige that most held for Todai and Todai students/graduates, the fact that Naru had been a gravure model as well made her another exception to the rule. The supposedly rare combination of beauty and brains had attributed to her popularity.

Yet as good as the money had been the auburn haired beauty had decided to leave the profession behind. While she might miss the attention garnered she knew that she needed to make the most of her education.

The warm spring breeze caressed the last of the pink and white petals, tenderly plucking a few from the branches. All about her countless petals danced around her red heels, accompanying the handful that fell from the trees.

It was days like this that reminded her of her previous home. Then again, it had only been a week since she'd left the Hinata Sou. As much as she wanted to stay in Hinata and at the Sou, the busty auburn haired woman knew that it was finally time to move on. It helped that she'd finally graduated from Todai, and having spent a semester commuting from Hinata to Mahora as a student teacher she knew that the daily commute was out of the question. Then again, she wouldn't be alone in Mahora.

"You're staying here?" her raven haired companion remarked.

The auburn haired beauty nodded. "I couldn't find any apartments and they needed a house mother for one of their dorms. The Dean said that my own experience at the Hinata Sou would help."

Glancing at the young woman beside her Naru couldn't help but sigh. "I can't believe that you actually moved out of the Hinata Sou."

Shinobu Maehara had certainly grown. The young maiden who once came up to the older woman's shoulders was now taller than she was. Even with her trademark antennae bangs the other girl was taller; then again, she also had developed those antennae bangs, though her dark locks made it appear vastly different.

"I'm sure Keitaro and the others will be alright without us, and I'm sure Sensei will be glad to have us around."

"Speaking of Ranma, where is he anyways?" Naru asked. "He promised that he'd be here to help."

"He's probably busy with the dojo," Shinobu lied. As Ranma's first and favorite student she was privy to information that even Ranma's first lover didn't have. Yes, she knew about his immortality, and that he had three children. But what Naru didn't know that Shinobu did was that he was currently working at Mahora as one of their 'field agents'. Things like the odd agreement/arrangement that they had which allowed them to see other people and to keep secrets from each other was meant to keep Ranma's deep, dark secrets from the innocent and inexperienced Naru.

As one of Ranma's students Shinobu knew about the missions, the secret alliances between the different magical associations and factions. She knew that he was skating on thin ice as he slowly learned to play the political game with the various groups. She also knew that Naru wasn't supposed to know.

Officially, Ranma was one of the new teachers at one of the many academies but despite his employment he was still a rogue agent free to move between the various alliances and associations. For the past three years Ranma had attended a secret magical school but occasionally turned up over the holidays and summer break.

But Ranma wasn't the only one with secrets. As discrete as Naru was, she wasn't able to keep her affairs completely secret from the others at the Hinata Sou. There had been the brief affair with Keitaro, as well as the double dates with Kitsune and her online friends (dates that had led to overnight stays at a love hotel).

"It's not too bad," Ranma finally said.

Both women turned around, glancing at the raven haired man. The master of illusions wore his usual red silk shirt and black pants, but his usual youthful face was replaced with an older and weathered face, the product of his illusions designed to keep others from realizing that he was actually trapped in the body of a 17 year old.

Before either woman could greet him they were interrupted by another voice.

"Narusegawa! Saotome!" a new voice greeted. "Maehara!"

As one the trio of youths turned towards the newcomer. All three were familiar with the scruffy dishwater blond that approached them. Though he was well dressed, his scruffy five o'clock shadow and the heavy scent of cigarettes made him appear much more relaxed and casual than others in his station.

"Takahata-sensei," the two women returned.

"Takahata," Ranma said with a slight nod.

"I suppose you'll be here often," the dishwater blond replied casually.

"Haruna lives here?" Naru asked, glancing at the raven haired man.

The immortal martial artist nodded. "I guess I could come by and check on her, when I'm not working. Besides, I'm sure I'll see her in class."

"I'm sure Narusegawa is going to have her hands full living here," the scruffy man stated as he looked up at the seven story building. "Each floor beyond the first is broken down and grouped into academic year. Ninth graders get the second and third floors, seventh graders have the fourth and fifth, and sixth graders have the sixth and seventh floors. You're not the only teacher assigned to the dorm since it's more than what one person can handle by themselves. You've been assigned to the ninth graders since they've only got a year before they move to the high school dorms."

The scruffy man nodded in agreement. "Classes don't start until next week, but some of the girls are still around over Golden Week. This should be a good time for you to get to know the girls in your care."

* * *

Time stops for no one. It was one of the few truths that Ranma had accepted in the past three years. Though magic was capable of bending, redirecting, and even slowing time, ultimately time had no master and even the best magicians couldn't escape from the laws of time.

After four years of attending the mystical and legendary Scholomance the immortal martial artist had finally managed to graduate. Sure, he was still unable to cast any white or esoteric magic, but he had been able to master illusionary magic. And of course there were all the contacts that he'd made during his travels.

Yes, time stopped for no one or no one thing, as the decrepit building before him was testament to. The three story building had literally been falling apart when the realtor had shown him the property. With what he'd saved up he'd managed to buy the property outright, and with some work he'd be able to repair the building. No, he wouldn't just repair it; he'd make it livable and usable. After all, the building wasn't just going to be for him, it was going to be for them.

While Ryoko and Akira were being raised as Ryoga and Tsuruko's children Hiro would be returning over the summer. For nearly three years Hiro had been training and learning under the direct tutelage of the demon known as Graf. Three years were nearly up.

It would only be a few more months before Hiro would return. A few months… all the time he'd have to prepare himself for being a father. But for now the task at hand was turning this derelict building into a house and dojo.

He didn't want to think about what Graf could have done to Hiro, or what life under a demon could do to a child. No, he couldn't think that he'd done the wrong thing in allowing Graf to take Hiro.

Years of hard training and dedication to the martial arts had taught him a number of skills. Unfortunately none of those many lessons had anything to do with being a good father. He didn't even have a good example to follow considering that his own father had tied various cat foods or products to him and thrown him into a pit of starving felines. Yes, he would definitely not be doing that to Hiro.

With deliberate care, Ranma examined the floor boards, ensuring that they were of the appropriate length and width as well as to make sure that they were not warped.

Repairing the building wouldn't help him be a better father, but at least he'd provide Hiro with a solid roof over his head.

Mahora wasn't his first choice, but it was the best one. Not only was there a considerable magical community for Hiro and Ranma to blend in with as best as they could, but Ryoko and Akira were also attending the school. Their presence was a boon, a chance for him and Hiro to connect with them even if only informally as members of their father's school or as classmates/instructor.

"Ranma?" a gentle voice called out.

The soft voice reminded him that he wasn't alone. "In here Shinobu," he replied, allowing his voice to carry through the empty building.

The blunette had grown in the years that he'd known her. The once timid and nearly unnoticeable girl had blossomed into a beautiful young woman before his very eyes.

"I brought some dinner," she announced. "Burgers – wash your hands sensei."

* * *

Time stopped for no one. It was one of the truest statements that the petit blond accepted as infallible. Even for the immortal day walking vampire time failed to stop. True, she didn't age, but it was no longer the repetitive drivel that it once was.

There was once a time when she was forced to actually rely on wooden puppets to create a viable partner and ally, but now thanks to the marvelous inventions and innovations that were the result of inspired, hard work she now had a partner that was stronger and that did not require her to infuse it with vast amounts of magical energy.

Yes, time was on her side. But for now she would to endure the seemingly endless cycle of life in junior high.

School was the same crap full of the stupid and inane antics of her hyperactive classmates stuck in their hormone infested lives. Yes, she could literally smell the pheromones that her classmates oozed as they talked about the various boys they saw or knew. It didn't help that the unexpected spring storm had forced most the entire class to sit inside between their classes.

It didn't help that the new term had just started. Then again, the girls were prone to talk about anything and everything ranging from old teachers that they like or hated, new teachers that they thought they'd like or hate, new classes, new students, things they'd done over Golden Week, or things they wished they'd done over Golden Week, boys, cute teachers… all of it was beneath her.

"I heard that Toshiba-sensei is sick today." That had to be Kazumi the class reporter. She was always ready with the latest gossip. "One of the teachers from the boys' school is supposed to cover for him today."

"What's his name?"

That would be Yuna Akashi, the daughter of one of the other many professors, and one of the more inquisitive girls that Kazumi knew she could ply her trade with.

"Professor Ranma Saotome," the class reporter stated. "Word is that he's got a son that's studying abroad. He's restoring a property on the edge of the campus and is going to turn it into a dojo."

"Saotome-sensei? Did someone say something about Saotome-sensei?"

For a moment the immortal trapped in a girl's body paused. Had Fei Ku, aka Baka Ranger Yellow, actually speak up about a teacher?

"You know Saotome-sensei?" the inquisitive Kazumi asked as she turned her attention to the suddenly interesting Baka Ranger.

"Of course," the energetic girl beamed.

"You probably went to challenge him," the class reporter assumed. "How long did he last?"

"Three seconds," the proud martial artist sighed.

"That must have been disappointing, no wonder he doesn't have any students," Kazumi giggled.

"He beat me in three seconds."

Everyone paused. Someone had managed to defeat the champ? And in three seconds?

"Saotome-sensei knew my father," Fei stated. "Is no surprise he could defeat me so easily. Saotome-sensei say that sparring with me would not help me, but that I spar with his student is good."

"Huh?"

"I think she meant to say that Saotome-sensei feels that if he were to spar with her she wouldn't benefit from it," Lingshen Chao explained.

Eva sat up, clearly interested. Something about this Ranma Saotome had obviously caught her attention – but would that mean that she should take interest in him?

"Yes, is that," Fei nodded, confirming the other girl's interpretation. "Maehara-sempai is college student, studied under Saotome-sensei for three years."

"And she's better than you?" the usually timid and quiet Kaede Nagase asked.

"No."

Everyone turned towards the unexpected speaker.

"What do you know about Saotome-sensei?" Kazumi asked, holding her pen out to the cheerful bespeckled girl.

"He's my uncle."

Unlike everyone else who focused on Haruna Saotome, Eva watched the usually aloof Chao, hoping to see some sign from the mysterious girl.

"She's only practiced for three years, but Uncle thinks that Fei teaching someone would help take her to the next level," Haruna explained.

"You don't strike me as a martial arts type," Kazumi remarked.

"Just because I'm one of the Library girls?" the other girl countered. "So is Maehara-sempai. But my parents are both martial artists."

"So you went as far away from martial arts as you could, right?" the reporter asked.

Haruna shook her head. "My parents encouraged me to take up whatever hobby I wanted. When I took up drawing they encouraged me to draw. After all, martial arts are an art form."

The mousy girl to her side nodded. Nodoka Miyazaki was one of Haruna's best friends and a fellow member of the Library Exploration Club.

"To think that he's so knowledgeable," the girl on Haruna's other side added. The slightly kittenish Yue Ayase was the other best friend to Haruna and also a member of the Library Exploration Club. "But I guess you get to be that way when you travel the world and study martial arts abroad."

Before any of the girls could ask anything else the door to the classroom opened.

"Take your seats!" the confident and steady voice of their substitute teacher commanded.

In a flash the gathered girls took their seats, many eager to catch their first glimpse of the teacher.

For a second Eva saw what the man wanted her to see – long silky raven hair finely braided, a neat and clean sapphire blue silk dress shirt and dark navy blue dress pants. Blinking, the vampire saw the tell tale signs of a powerful illusion. With the shimmering air around him the vampire wasn't sure what the man truly looked like or even how he held himself, but the aura of confidence that surrounded him was definitely noticeable.

Yes, this Ranma Saotome truly deserved her attention.

* * *

The sound of heavy rain drops hitting the stone building and commons greeted the feisty young teacher prompting her to see shelter under an awning. Her light gore-tex coat had kept her dry for the light spring mist but was slowly giving way to the heavy downpour. The waterlogged streets splashed her with every heavy rain drop and step, soaking her nylons and skirt even as the rain slowly penetrated through her coat.

"I knew I should have brought an umbrella," the auburn haired woman muttered as she felt her now completely soaked clothes clinging to her body.

"Narusegawa-san," a friendly voice called out.

Glancing around she spotted the speaker. "Takahata-san," she returned.

"Looks like you need to get out of the rain," the scruffy blond stated. "You want to come inside?"

Perplexed, the auburn haired beauty looked at the older man as he opened the door beside the store's entrance. _'Well, I don't have any money to buy something to eat and stay at the café,'_ she mused. Nodding, she walked into the open doorway, allowing the experienced teacher to usher her up to his apartment. "You live here?"

"Yeah," he replied. "The rent's cheap and it's on campus so I don't have to worry about taking the train. Most of the shops just on the edge of the academic half of campus are occupied by the owners or they rent to the college students."

Naru nodded.

The narrow stair well went straight to the third floor, intersecting with a second set of stairs that led down to the alley. The landing was half the size of the building, creating a nice third story balcony with a wonderful view of the giant tree at the center of the campus. A slight awning provided the door with some cover and allowed the two teachers to stand beside each other as Takahata unlocked his door.

"So, how was your first week of actual teaching?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Oh, not as bad as I thought it would be. While the work-load is larger and the day longer it's not too bad."

"Coat," he suggested as he closed the door behind him.

Absently Naru slipped off her coat as Takahata turned on the light for his small studio apartment.

For the moment the usually self-conscious woman forgot about her appearance, focusing instead on the alien apartment. The large studio was more than she'd expected of her former mentor. Though she knew that he lived alone, she'd expected him to have a kitchen or refrigerator at least. The sight that greeted her eyes as the light shone though were several book shelves filled with books and magazines, filing cabinets, and a wall full of pictures taken with various students. A solitary table stood in the middle of the room while a large corner desk stood beside a small, unkempt twin bed and only a large hutch appeared to hold all his clothes.

But it was the stack of magazines on the battered wooden table that caught her attention.

"Those are my magazines," she muttered as she found herself approaching the desk.

Having modeled in college, Naru knew that most of the other faculty had taken issue with her when she'd applied for the student teaching position. Though she'd worked hard as a student teacher she knew that some still held the fact that she was a gravure model against her. But to see the stack of fifty or so magazines, some of them open and spread out, well, that was just a bit… flattering.

'_Flattering?'_ she thought as she looked down at the image of her bent at the waist and leaning forward so that the camera had a nice view of her cleavage.

Suddenly she realized just how wet her blouse was and just how transparent and sheer it was as it clung to her ample breasts. Momentarily embarrassed, the young woman moved to cover-up. The water on the floor beneath her feet combined with the way her wet clothes clung to her caused her to fall back into the arms of the powerful man.

Slippery tile combined with her momentum brought them crashing to the ground.

"Are you alright?"

Rattled, Naru turned around. It took a moment for her to realize that she was straddling his lap.

Though her clothes were soaked through, her mouth was parched. Gulping, she nodded. The slow but powerful beating of her heart rang in her ears as she looked down at the now wet man beneath her.

"I never realized just how handsome you are," she said aloud.

"Thanks."

Blinking, she blushed, realizing that she'd just spoken her very thoughts.

Part of her wanted to pull away, to apologize for her clumsiness, but she didn't. Instead she leaned forward to kiss his irresistible lips. The feel of his stubbly facial hair against her soft, smooth skin sent a tingle of excitement through her as she pressed her lips against his.

For a moment all thoughts vanished from her mind as she focused on the sensation of their kiss.

Yet as wonderful as the kiss was, it wasn't enough. Not for her, and apparently not for him as well.

Strong hands pulled her to him, crushing her wet breasts to his chest heedless of the fact that his once immaculate shirt was now absorbing the access water from her blouse.

As quickly as it began the kiss ended as the powerful hands pushed her away. "No!"

Dazed, Naru could only blink as her lust addled mind tried to process everything. "Why?"

"You're with Ranma."

Again the auburn haired beauty blinked. "Not really," she answered honestly. "I wouldn't be doing this to him if we really were together."

She could see his thoughts racing through his mind.

Gently, she lowered herself to him. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

* * *

The silvery light of the full moon illuminated the darkness providing the creatures of the night with few shadows to hide in. The day's unexpected downpour had cleared the air, removing all scents and taints from the air.

Despite the brightness of the reflected light, tonight was the best night for her to discover the truth behind the mysterious Ranma Saotome. Though she'd cornered Lingshen Chao and pressed the other genius for some insights the girl had only suggested that the vampire needed to find the answers herself.

As a 'special' student Eva McDowell didn't live in one of the many dorms. She didn't even live close remotely close to the residential areas of campus. While some might have taken that as being a "lonely" existence, Eva preferred it that way.

True, living further away from the other students meant that she couldn't prey on them during the full moon, but it also meant that she could maintain a greater degree of anonymity from the other girls. It also allowed her to come and go as she wanted without having to deal with the patrols or house mothers, not that the house mothers could actually do anything against her.

Slipping out of her cabin, Eva reveled in the return of her power. Sure, she wasn't even close to being 100%, but at least she wasn't trapped in the body only a pedophile would lust after. Now, all that was left was to decide what to do tonight – investigate the mysterious new teacher or go out and enjoy her usual fun?

"His only student has also gone on a club outing," the gynoid explained. "There should be no one else at his residence."

The blond vampire nodded. "I assume that Kazumi's looking into him?"

Chachamaru nodded.

"What of the ninja and the mercenary?"

The artificial human paused, "Kaede has gone on a weekend training trip and Mana is in the dorms."

Again Eva nodded. "We'll go on the hunt again. I'm sure that Kazumi will inform us if there's anything interesting about Saotome."

Silently she walked out into the night, not allowing her curiosity to get the best of her.

"What are the patrols for tonight?" she asked as moved towards the residential half of campus.

The gynoid held out a map even as she walked beside the powerful vampire. "Takahata isn't on patrol tonight," she stated. "I'm uncertain if the weather changed tonight's patrols, but it appears that none of them are patrolling the junior high dorms."

Eva nodded. It made sense that the teachers were focused on the older and more adventurous students for the first weekend of the term.

"The rainstorm appears to have kept most of the junior high students in since the rain didn't stop until after curfew thus it appears that the teachers are focusing on the older students with their later curfews.

"But the junior high school athletic teams did have late practices. If we hurry you should be able to encounter someone from either the swim or track teams."

"Misora's a mage," Eva stated. "We'll have to avoid the track team."

"Then it'll have to be the swim team," Chachamaru concluded.

The vampire shook her head. "We'll just see what we come across."

Her crystal sharp mind combined with her heightened senses guided her across campus, avoiding the patrols as the nearly vacant streets yielded little prey for her. Prowling around the boys' junior high dorms she opted to play the part of the seductress as she reveled in her adult body.

What teenage boy could resist her after all? She was tall, lithe but buxom, and radiated enough sexual energy that if the dorms had been co-ed her presence would have started an orgy. One of the problems of being in just an all girls class was that she had deal with the repressed sexual energies of her hormone driven peers and classmates. It didn't help that she had been trapped in the body of a pre-pubescent girl for nearly 15 years.

With a wave of her hand the black slip she wore was replaced with a black lace bodice that accentuated her perky and under-appreciated C-cups. With each step she could feel the satin lace rub against her smooth, sensitive skin, sending a slight thrill through her body.

But selecting a target had been hard to do as few of the students traveled alone for long. One particular target stood out as he walked from dorm to dorm apparently visiting his friends and fellow classmates and talking about their lessons as well where they had traveled.

Unable to find another viable target, Eva moved in. Using her supernatural speed she moved ahead of her target, planting herself directly in his path as he moved from one dorm to another.

"Can I help you?" the boy asked as he spotted her. His Japanese had an unusual accent that suggested extensive traveling abroad. Then again, his natural blond hair and European features suggested that he wasn't Japanese and was probably an international student.

Slightly startled, the vampire turned around. She could play the part of damsel in distress.

* * *

Years of dedicated training had provided him with a lean, limber body - a body that couldn't sit still for too long unless he was asleep. With no Saturday classes Ranma had spent the entire day finishing the floor. Precisely cut bamboo boards had been placed and then nailed down before he'd stained them. Though he was an immortal, even Ranma couldn't endure the smell of wood stain. It was for that reason that he'd booked a room at a local hotel for the week.

Simply sitting before the television like most people would after a hard day of work just didn't work for him. A normal person might have felt stiff and sore after working on the floor for the whole day, but Ranma was anything but normal.

A quick shower and change later and Ranma was out the door as he simply couldn't get used to the alien room.

The feel of the late evening air filling his lungs was invigorating as it removed any trace of sawdust or varnish. Though he'd worked on both the boys' and girls' side of the campus he had yet to explore the residential sections. Curious, Ranma decided to check out the boys dorms.

It didn't surprise him that most of the campus was vacant as the sudden downpour during the day had discouraged most from venturing. Though the night sky was clear and the full moon provided more than sufficient lighting when away from the street lights the hundreds of deep muddy puddles and the early curfew were clearly more than enough to discourage the students from staying out too late.

Opting to present a different face as he wandered the street Ranma modeled his image after one of his classmates in Scholomance. Scandinavian features replaced his usual Japanese appearance and short, spiky blond hair hid his long raven locks.

Hidden behind his disguise, Ranma played up the persona of Martin Skoglund, the eclectic free-spirited vegan.

Though few people would have credited Ranma with being a great or even a good actor, the master illusionist was also a master actor. As an illusionist he'd learned that sometimes playing the part was better than even the most powerful spell at deceiving even the most trained eyes.

Playing the part of Martin Skoglund, international transplant student originally from Sweden but relocated to California and then to Japan, was liberating. Being able to play the role of someone other than himself allowed him to get away from his own troubles. As he interacted with the mostly male students he fell into character completely, forgetting his own issues as he discovered more about some of his students and about the students as a whole.

Even as friendly as Takahata was with his students Ranma was sure that they had secrets that they didn't share with him or with other teachers. But being able to blend in with them as one of them gave him new insight on not only his short-comings as a teacher, but as a person as well.

"Yeah, Saotome-sensei seems nice, but he's got a real stick up his ass sometimes."

"He's kind of distant."

"I really can't ask him for assistance in understanding the lessons."

"Yeah, I feel like seeing Takahata for help with the English work."

"Yeah, I've actually had to ask some of the high schoolers for help with the assignments."

"It's nothing against him, but I think he thinks we're smarter than we really are."

With the students' remarks on his mind, Ranma wandered around the dorms some more, seeking out more students from his classes.

Lost in his character, Ranma almost missed the powerful aura before him. Cautiously he walked ahead. The light of the moon allowed him to see the woman standing in the clearing despite the fact that the street lights in the area were out.

"Can I help you?" he asked, slowly approaching her.

"I… I'm lost," the blond woman replied.

Her Japanese was perfect and her voice soothing, even alluring. Even from this distance he could smell her sweet perfume.

His heart beat quickened.

It took a moment for him to realize just what was going on. Instinctively he flared his aura, clearing the air around him and potentially breaking any spells that the woman had placed on him. "Who are you?"

* * *

"Who are you?" the blond teen demanded.

The sheer power that emanated from him was, well, impressive. And for him to be able to resist her charms, well, that was impressive as well. But what concerned her was the approach of the teachers on patrol.

"Mistress," Chachamaru's voice cut in on the earpiece the vampire wore. "I detect two patrols approaching your position."

Distracted by her partner's call, the golden blond vampire lost track of her target for a second. The second was long enough for the mysterious boy to vanish into the night.

"Mistress!"

Irked by the turn of events, Eva hesitated. She'd find out who that boy was and she'd make sure he got his in return.

* * *

Clean, fresh air blew greeted the energetic girl as she exited the girls' dorm. While most of her peers and neighbors slept in on Sundays she was out earning her keep. As an orphaned teen there were few jobs available to her, fewer still that didn't interfere with school. Unable to pass on any opportunity to earn some pocket money Asuna Kagurazaka willingly endured the early morning wake ups so that she could deliver the newspaper.

Yes, it wasn't the most glamorous job, but it allowed her to get more than enough exercise and plenty of fresh air. Unlike most of the others who also delivered the paper she didn't rely on a bike or car, or even roller blades. No, she ran the entire way, sometimes lugging over 20Kgs a route. Multiply that by the three routes that she normally did (not including the ones she sometimes picked up when some of the others were sick) and she was covering at least 15 kilometers each morning. Sundays were particularly brutal, not only because of the added thickness of the papers, but because fewer people showed up to deliver for their usual routes.

But sometimes Sundays could be fun. On the weekdays the streets were packed with vendors waiting for the morning rush, but on Sundays only the shops opened early. The few people out and about were joggers or walkers, or were simply morning people. Gone were the usual crowds and noise, replaced with a sense of serenity and peace that was rare for Mahora.

Sundays were also pay days for the paper route. Sure, the guys who didn't show up on Sundays still got their pay when they showed up on Monday, but Asuna was never one to wait for her pay. Despite her exhaustion from covering five routes, Asuna was feeling good this morning.

The extra money from those two routes jingled in her pocket, demanding to be spent on a nice treat. The smell of freshly baked bread reached her nose, drawing her attention to the bakery. A short line of shoppers gathered in the storefront, eager to snap up some of the flaky, sweet delights.

The short stop into the bakery lightened her pocket but was more than made up by the sense of satisfaction that came from her stomach and mouth as she licked the last of the powdered sugar from her lips. Pausing to savor the last remnants of her treat she arched her back, stretching her sore back muscles.

Suddenly she froze. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw something that shouldn't – no - couldn't be.

The familiar form of a man in white stood out. It wasn't just any man, but the man that she secretly adored. She wanted to call out to him, to greet him and perhaps to offer him a freshly baked treat. But he wasn't alone. No, that wouldn't have stopped her normally. She'd seen him many times with other teachers.

But it was this teacher, and what he was doing with and to her that made her freeze.

For so long Asuna had dreamed that he'd do to her what he was now doing to Narusegawa-sensei. The tender morning kiss that he gave her before they parted hinted at something more than just camaraderie or whatever co-workers were supposed to share.

'She's wearing the same outfit that she wore yesterday for class.'

Eyes wide, the strawberry blond took in every detail. As much as she didn't want to remember this scene, she couldn't help but etch it into her mind's eye as she searched her memory of the previous day to confirm her fears.

"I should get going," she heard the first year teacher say. "I'll probably stop and get a change of clothes somewhere so the girls don't get suspicious."

She didn't know why, but Asuna found herself running. She didn't know why or where she ran, only that she needed to get away.

* * *

"Rewind," the diminutive vampire ordered.

Complying, Chachamaru rewound the playback of her visual sensors, returning the image on the screen so that it displayed the first moment when the now diminutive vampire had first sighted her prey. But even the gynoid's various image sensors had not been able to penetrate the illusionary veil that this mysterious man had cast, preventing even the technologically advanced being from seeing the man's true appearance.

"It appears that the distortion begins when I set my eyes on him," the gynoids speculated.

"How did you not notice that sooner?" the tiny figure snapped.

"My sensors have been erratic since English class on Friday," the gynoid replied.

"And you're just now mentioning it now?"

"I thought it was just a slight mishap at first. After English class my sensors were working properly and Satomi suggested that go in today to get them properly checked."

"English class…" the vampire muttered. "Wasn't that when we had the substitute instructor?"

"Saotome-sensei, from the boys' school, yes, it was."

"Do you still have Friday's visual records?"

"Yes."

"Show me."

Her eyes closed, the gynoid mentally rewound the play-back of her visual recordings.

Her eyes focused on the monitor, Eva watched as the recording began to distort the moment before the substitute teacher entered the classroom. Once he actually entered the feed was completely distorted as colors blended and images were indistinguishable.

"Audio?"

The gynoid shook her head. "I could not recover any audio recordings."

The cursed vampire scowled. "Have Kazumi find out everything she can about him."

"Yes mistress."

* * *

Few who knew him back in Nerima would have described him as a morning person. Sure, he was usually up early, but he never wanted to be up early.

But time changes everyone, even an immortal.

Though he had spent the past four years learning magic, the immortal martial artist preferred to not use magic. Sure, he used magic to protect and ward his house, and he used illusion magic with his classes, but he when he didn't have to use it he didn't. And after the incident the previous night he opted against donning the Martin Skoglund persona.

Only a handful of people knew what Ranma really looked like, though most of them had only seen him over a decade ago. Still, what were the chances that someone who actually knew him would bump into him? Even after a week of working at the same campus he hadn't run into Naru outside of work and the only reason he ran into Shinobu was when she stopped by to bring him dinner.

Leaving the hotel he made his way down the street in search of a good meal. But before he could go anywhere he paused at the sight that greeted him. Before him stood a young redheaded girl leaning against the wall of his favorite bookstore. But it wasn't just that she was there. It was the fact that she was crying that made him pause. Sure, he could have just slipped around her unnoticed, but some obscure gut reaction made him pause.

'_Damn,'_ he thought has he recognized her. _'I don't want to blow my cover. But I just can't ignore her, can I?'_

"Um," he said, as he tried to announce himself. "Can I, um, help you?"

Gentle sobbing answered him, creating a pit in his chest. He knew he should be more sensitive and perhaps a bit more considerate, but unfortunately for him he just wasn't wired that way. "Hey!" he said just a bit louder, drawing her attention.

"Sorry," a surprisingly gentle voice replied. "I… I should go."

As if to prove her point the usually fiery girl turned to walk away only to slump against the wall.

"You must have run pretty hard," Ranma muttered as he offered his hand to her.

Reluctantly she accepted, gently wiping away the last of her tears.

As gently as he could, Ranma pulled the girl to her feet before slipping his arm around her waist.

"Pervert!" she muttered.

"I could leave you on the ground," he replied as he guided her towards a nearby bench. "If you really don't want me to help out I'll just leave you here."

Helping her into the bench he slowly released his hold on her, allowing her to sit up by herself. Just as he thought he was about to free up his morning, he felt her grasp his hand.

'_Damn,'_ he thought as he considered his options_. 'I knew I should have chosen a table with chairs.'_

Slowly he sat beside her, making sure that there was some space between them. This was going to be a long morning.

* * *

Few people enjoyed the weekends as much as Kazumi. As the ace reporter for her year, she knew best that the weekends were the best time to dig up some dirt on anyone. It was the weekends when her peers went out on dates, when they went out and partied and sometimes did something that they wouldn't normally do when out with their usual group of friends.

And what better weekend was there than today? Sure, Saturday had been lackluster considering the sudden downpour that only meant that Sunday was going to be better. With the bright sun and warm spring weather there were sure to be plenty of couples out and about – couples that no one knew anything about.

While some of her peers in the school paper preferred to spend the weekend digging up dirt on the new teachers and maybe on the new students, Kazumi knew that this was the best non-holiday weekend to dig up dirt on the couples. Sure, there probably weren't many new couples, though it was possible. Though they were just a week into the new term the segregated populaces of the campus would probably be out and about trying to scout out the other gender. The new students in particular would be out exploring the campus and getting familiar with the other residents of the campus.

Yes, anything could happen on the first weekend of the term.

As a city renown for family values and academics, Kazumi knew that only the college students didn't bother going to one of the handful of love hotels at the edge of the city. Most college students had their own apartments and avoided living in the stricter dorms. As such the college students had their own private apartments or rooms to bring back their dates. Hitting up the red-light district rarely brought about any scoops. No, the best places to dig up dirt were in the main plaza. The multitude of shops not only attracted those who wanted breakfast, but was also right between the boys' and girls' dorms.

Considering the early hour it wouldn't surprise her if some couples were already meeting in secret.

Yes, now was the time for Kazumi Asakura to strike.

Purchasing a light breakfast, she quickly found a table on the upper level that gave her a great view of World Tree Plaza. Sure, there were some places that were more isolated than others, but she'd already rigged several hidden motion sensor cameras to take pictures of anyone who ventured into those nooks.

With only a handful of people in the plaza outside of the usual workers, the curious brunette scanned the area for any potential couples. "They're still in elementary school," she muttered, commenting on the now infamous grade school couple. "She's only talking to him because she's trying to get him to try out the food in the store; they're taking out the garbage; they're setting up the store's new sign… Is that… no way… Asuna?"

Pulling out her mini-binoculars, the inquisitive brunette turned towards the pair sitting on the bench. Though their backs were to her the strawberry redhead's distinct hair color and her trademark twin pig tails tied with bells and ribbons gave her away. But who was the solidly build guy sitting next to her?

"Braids on guys went out of fashion a long time ago," she muttered as she tried to get a better look at the mysterious boy. Pulling out her note-pad she jotted down a brief description of him. _'Red silk shirt. Muscular, probably a fighter of some sort. He's gotta be new.'_

Pulling out her camera she focused on the couple, waiting for the moment when they turned around so that she could get a look at the mysterious boy. Finally they appeared to be getting ready to stand, or at least he was. Like a gentleman he turned before offering her his hand. The digital camera clicked, snapping a quick picture.

Before she could do anything else, her cell phone began to buzz. With her camera's ability to take several quick pictures in succession, Kazumi turned her attention to her phone.

"'Get me all the dirt on Martin Skoglund that you can.'" Sighing, Kazumi closed her cell. Not even bothering to see who it was from she closed her phone. Only Evangeline wrote out entire sentences instead of using texting jargon. But who was this Martin Skoglund? Perhaps he was a new student, but why was he so important?

Again her phone began to buzz as another text message came through.

"'70000 yen for your time.'"

'_That might be worth my while,_' the brunette thought as she turned her attention back to Asuna. "Damn," she muttered as she failed to find her initial target. "They're moving pretty quick. Oh well, I guess I'll head off to check things out for Eva."

* * *

The fresh, spring air filled his lungs as he breathed deeply. For a moment he considered lighting up a cigarette, but seeing the golden beams of light streaming through the leaves and branches of the World Tree the veteran teacher opted not to. It was a beautiful day, and he really didn't feel the need for one, not after the way he'd started his day.

Though he felt a pang of guilt at sleeping with Naru, he wasn't sure if it was because he barely knew her or if it was because he thought she was still seeing Ranma. Sure, he'd known her a few months. He'd mentored her when she was a student teacher.

It was because he was her mentor that he'd caught onto the fact that several high schoolers had been trying to scry her. Even though the Hinata Sou was protected from scrying he'd put a stop to it quickly. Unfortunately that didn't stop the non-magical boys from buying several magazines that had included some of her various spreads. He'd even confiscated several hundred over the previous term.

The truth was that he actually enjoyed her spreads. He'd seen the magazines before, seen many different gravure models in his time as a teacher at Mahora, but there was just something about her that captivated him. Normally he'd have thrown the books away or returned them to the boys after the term was over, but the ones with Narusegawa in them he'd kept. In fact he probably had three of each spread that she'd done. Not that he was counting.

But to see her naked and in person had been another thing altogether. And the sex.

Most considered him to be a handsome man. And they were probably right. But despite his looks Takahata had never been with a woman. For much of the past 14 or so years he'd been so busy watching over Asuna that he'd forgotten about his own needs.

It wasn't that he was attracted to Asuna. No, he owed her and Nagi. That was why he looked out for her. But now that she was old enough to look out for herself he didn't need to constantly be looking out for her.

Yes, now was the perfect time for him to move on with his own life. Sure, he'd still be around to help her out as needed, but he needed to live his own life as well.

"So," he muttered as he eyed the scene before him. "What happened here?"

"Someone unleashed their magical energy," the woman in charge of the scene stated. "Weren't you supposed to be on patrol last night?"

"Something came up," he lied.

If not for the fact that the dark skinned woman was busy examining the scene she might have caught his cool lie. If she did than she didn't care enough about it to ask. Then again, she was a consummate professional. Though she was only in her first year as a teacher she'd already earned more accolades than some newly tenured teachers. Of course she had seen more action in the field than anyone other than perhaps Takahata.

Like him, she was one of the handful of teachers who had been around for the last war. Though she'd wandered around for the past few years before finally accepting a position at Mahora many of the faculty and staff questioned her loyalty. It didn't help that she'd been on the other side, which just meant that she wasn't on their side. The loss of her partner had left her without a real side at the end of the war. Still, her skills had been in demand and she'd sold them to the highest bidder.

The dark skinned beauty continued to examine the area, not even bothering to converse with the other teachers in the area.

"Who arrived on the scene first?" Takahata finally asked.

"I did."

Takahata didn't need to turn around to recognize the man. The tall and powerfully built man always wore a deep black suit and sunglasses that matched his goatee. Kataragi was third in command of the operations division. Like Tatsumiya, he'd been on the other side during most of the war, but only until his side had allied themselves with Mahora.

"I was patrolling the area just behind those dorms," Kataragi explained. "There were a few high school students around running between the dorms, nothing unusual really. They didn't see anyone suspicious."

Takahata nodded. "So why'd you call me in?"

"Because they all mentioned seeing and speaking to one person," Tatsumiya replied as she stood up. "They all said that they'd been talking with a fellow student by the name of Martin Skoglund."

The scruffy blond paused, taking in everything.

"Tatsumiya wasn't here when he'd been a student here," the sharply dressed man stated. "But you were the last teacher to see him."

"He transferred out," the other man stated. "What's more to be said?"

"He transferred months before graduation," Kataragi added. "Who does that during their senior year?"

"We're not accusing you of anything," Tatsumiya said diplomatically. "But being the kind of teacher you are I'm sure you have a picture of him, right?"

"Of course," the blond replied. "He was one of my favorite students, unfortunately I don't carry his picture with me. It's back in my apartment."

"If you would, we'd like to borrow it," the dark haired woman insisted. "We need to see if it really was him that these students saw."

* * *

Karma – the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.

No, that just didn't sound right. Especially considering that he was cursed with immortality. Although it could mean that he was meant to endure more than just a single lifetime of torment.

How else to explain the reason why women were drawn to him. True, Asuna really couldn't be considered a woman just yet, not at the age of 14 or whatever she was, but still. If karma really was punishing this incarnation, just what did he do in his previous incarnation to attract so many attractive women to him?

First there was Ukyo, Shampoo, Akane, and Kodachi. Sure, they were just four girls, but they had helped turn Nerima into a virtual warzone several times. Not to mention that they had attracted various rivals to him while in Nerima.

Sure, the decade on the mountain had been peaceful with only Tsuruko and granny Hina visiting him, but then he'd gone to Hinata and the Hinata Sou. As good as things had been with Naru, there were definitely just as many pitfalls that had nearly broken his spirit.

Motoko was a definite plus, but still unusual. The fact that she'd been turned into a man and had impregnated the Hinata Sou's resident trickster was definitely unusual. Then throw in the fact that she and Naru had competed for him, and then she'd gone for him when Naru had attempted to discard him the first time. Yes, things had been good, but definitely complicated.

But now Mahora presented him with, well, a bunch of hormone driven teens. Well, the vampire and her gynoids probably weren't teens, but the dark skinned gunslinger and the ninja were going to be a handful.

And then there was the surprisingly demure redhead. It didn't help that he'd stumbled upon her when she was crying. The gentleman in him just couldn't leave her alone even though part of his mind was uneasy. Well, girls crying always made him uneasy.

'_I really need to stick to the boy's side of campus,'_ the immortal martial artist thought as he walked beside the still emotionally unstable girl. Though she appeared to be fine physically, her unstable emotions were gnawing at him. And then there was something nagging at his mind, almost as if someone were trying to follow them.

"So," he finally said, taking a break from the milkshake he was carrying around that went along with the one she had finished, "do you wanna talk about it?"

After spending much of the morning walking in silence except for the few times she pointed to a shop and he ordered something for them. But after walking around so much he wanted to either head off on his own or to get some answers.

The strawberry blond shook her head. "Thanks," she said, forcing a smile to her face. "I don't even know who you are, but you've been so nice to me. Thank you.

"It's just that I… I don't think I can talk about it right now."

For the briefest of moments the immortal accidently glimpsed her surface thoughts. And image was etched into her young, emotionally fragile mind - an image that he immediately recognized and understood.

"Don't mention it," he said, shutting his over-perceptive mind from hers. "You going to be alright?"

Though she forced herself to shrug and maintain her smile, the look in her gentle brown eyes told him that she'd be alright.

"I've got to get going."

"Sorry," she said meekly. "I've kept you all morning."

With a shrug Ranma turned to go.

"I… I don't even know your name," she said as he walked away.

Turning, he shrugged again. "Don't worry about it; I doubt you'll see me again."

Before she could say anything a small group of people walked between them, giving him the cover he needed to vanish without a trace.

* * *

Everyone has secret pleasures. That little something that made all the work and time that they had spent worthwhile. For Kazumi Asakura it wasn't so much a secret as everyone who knew her knew what drove her, but it was still made her feel all warm and tingly inside. The thing that she enjoyed so much was not uncovering secrets, but sharing them. And share she did.

While the school paper came out twice a week, the advent of the internet made it so much easier for her to share her news faster. Sure, she still had to ensure that her articles maintained the journalistic integrity of the school paper, but her blogs were second only to the Library Exploration Club's blog.

Though it was only the first weekend of the term she'd already uncovered one truly amazing story, and a pretty interesting one for her class. Judging by the number of hits the school newspaper's website and her article in particular were getting she knew that she had the story that everyone would be talking about on Monday.

* * *

The smell of fresh, clean air blowing through the wide open dojo followed the sound of the large double doors being slammed. It was a clear sign that he had a guest coming. In the time that it took his guest to walk over to him he'd already figured out who it was and what he wasn't going to say. Then again, he'd spent much of the afternoon thinking of what he was going to do or say when he saw her next.

In truth, he knew that a day like today was inevitable. She'd already broken up with him twice before. Then they'd agreed to have an open relationship. Hell, she'd encouraged him to be intimate with other women, even when she was in the same room as them. Actually, she'd joined in a few times too, but that first time she'd been laying there encouraging Motoko between giving the other woman tips on how to please him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the unusually angry voice of his first lover proclaimed.

'_Okay, I wasn't expecting that,_' the raven haired man thought as he finished setting up the TV stand. "I'm decorating."

Setting the TV down, he moved away from the pricy electronic equipment. He'd heard her 'belt you into low Earth Orbit' tone of voice before and he really didn't want to have to repair his house so soon after, well, fixing it the first time. No, he'd need some room if she was in that mood.

"You're hitting on a 14 year old girl!" the enraged auburn haired woman declared as she whipped out a print-out of the school newspaper's website. "And she's one of my students!"

Opening his mouth to explain himself, he slammed it shut when the first words into his mind were 'I was comforting her because she just saw her favorite teacher and crush making out with you!'

"I wasn't hitting on her," Ranma finally said as he managed to shut down that part of his mind that wanted to hurt her. "She was tired from exercising and I ran into her. I just helped her to the bench and then back to her feet once she was ready to walk on her own.

"Besides, do you really think that I'd be stupid enough to date a student? Especially one of Takahata's students?" the immortal added. "He's one of the few people on campus that actually knows what I look like. And I wouldn't pick her because if you haven't noticed, she's the one he's usually talking about. He's pretty protective of her you know."

Though he hadn't wanted to mention the other teacher, Ranma could see that just the mention of him had stopped Naru in her tracks. _'Did she come here trying to find a reason to break things off?'_

For a moment neither one said anything as both of their highly intelligent minds raced. "Look," he finally said, "I'm just trying to live as normal a life as I can."

"Sorry," the fiery woman muttered.

"It's difficult enough just adapting to a new place," he added. "But in a few months Hiro's going to be back. I don't know how he's going to like it here, or even if he'll like being around me. I don't want to drag you into my mess, you know? I think it might be best if you just do your own thing for now while I do mine."

"Sorry," she muttered again, this time deliberately looking him in the eyes. "I guess I flew off the handle."

A crooked smile appeared on Ranma's face as he shrugged. "Nah, if you had you'd have tried to punch me like you usually did with Keitaro."

The auburn haired beauty nodded. "Yeah."

The two stood in silence for a moment, neither sure what else needed to be said.

"You know you don't have to ask me for permission to see someone else," Ranma finally said as he went back to setting up his TV. "And I shouldn't have to ask you either. I'll try to avoid dating any of our students though."

Naru's gentle chuckle cut through the air, sweeping out the tension that had filled the room. "So, we're good?"

"We're always good," he stated. "We're still going by the old agreement. I just want you to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Comforted by his words she smiled. "Thanks."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave it here for now. I'll slow things down and pace the fic.

Yes, no more Ranma x Naru, this time for sure.

Oh, and for those interested, there is a Lemon version on TFF. If you don't know what I'm referring to feel free to hit me up.

Dreamingfox


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes –

Yeah, things have changed for the cast and crew of this fic. Unfortunately time stops for no one.

Yes, Naru's been reduced to a background character. This is a Ranma fic after all.

Anyways, this is now a Ranma cross with Negima that has some Love Hina characters as well. Not all of the characters from Negima are the same. I'm surprised no one said anything about the fact that I made Tatsumiya Mana into a teacher. Anyways, the rest of the class is the same minus the mercenary. The teachers are the same, but of course I'm adding a few characters and some male students as well.

Again, anything between * * indicates characters speaking in English.

Oh yeah – Go Packers!

* * *

Few adults realize just how difficult junior high is for teens. Though most look back with either fondness or with slight dread, their memories of those days are often clouded with the cobwebs as time blurs and alters the reality of the situation into distant memories.

Unfortunately for one Asuna Kagurazaka that knowledge was of little benefit to her as she was currently experiencing that reality and was at least a decade away from being able to look back at her early teen years fondly.

"How could you keep a hunk like him from us?" the always peppy Makie Sasaki demanded. "How do you find the time to find a hunk like him when you're always working or in afterschool study sessions? Why didn't you tell me about him? Aren't we both Baka Rangers?"

Honestly, Asuna wasn't sure how to take Makie's inquiries. Sure, they were slightly annoying, but the cute and energetic rhythmic gymnast wasn't trying to be anything but inquisitive. True, most of the girls in her class weren't mean spirited, even if they didn't get along with each other, but sometimes there were times when their remarks crossed the line and went beyond teasing.

Still, the fact that nearly all of her peers (at least the ones who lived in the dorms) were hounding her about the mysterious boy that she'd been spotted with just made the entire day unbearable. It didn't help that she didn't even know his name, or that the very imaginative group had no trouble verbalizing what they thought happened on the date that really wasn't a date. Or that virtually all of the girls in the dorm knew about her supposed date. Yes, the internet was truly terrifying.

"He's kinda cute," Konoka sighed as she looked at a blown up image of her roommate and the unnamed boy.

The fact that the image had been zoomed in and blown up so that it now occupied the entire western wall of common room though was a bit annoying.

"I wish I could find a cute guy like that," Makie chimed in.

At least the more imaginative members of the class weren't saying much, though several members of the other classes had enjoyed ribbing the inexperienced girl. Surprisingly, the class pervert hadn't said a thing when she'd entered the common room and seen the picture. Then again, given her imagination Haruna probably had gone off to draw her perverted version of Asuna's date.

"So," Konoka purred as she grabbed hold of Asuna's arm, hugging her friend as she pulled the strawberry blond away from the others. "Give me all the juicy details."

Her jaw would have hit the floor had she not been sitting down. She couldn't believe that her best friend and roommate didn't believe her. Then again, she hadn't been entirely truthful about everything that had happened that day. "He just bumped into me when I got out of work."

"And you were so exhausted you spent like three hours with him?" Akira teased. Yes, leave it to the tall and athletic girl to join the other sports girls in grilling the class rogue.

But at least it was just 3-A that was teasing her. Unlike most of the other classes, 3-A tended to look out for their own. As a class full of misfits, they always had each other's back and stuck together against the other classes. Only they could tease one of their own, only they could get way with pranking each other. If anyone else tried to mess with any of them than the rest of the class would step in. As a result only some lighthearted teasing from the girls in the other classes and years had reached Asuna's ears.

It was hard enough being an orphan, but for a teenage girl growing up in the supposedly homogenous Japanese society standing out was almost a crime in and of itself. While most of her peers were either dark brunettes or were some shade of black, she stood out from the pack as a strawberry blond. Sure, she wasn't the only one, but in a sea of thousands she was one of the handful who could easily be picked out because of her lighter shade of hair. But the thing that really made her stand out was the fact that she was a heterochromia. True, her eyes were unusual shades when compared to the usual browns that most of her peers had, but for her to have her left be a purple/violet color and the right a green/teal/blue was very unusual. What few of her peers realized was that she spent a good portion of what she earned on contacts designed to hide her unusual eyes. Still, the blue that her eyes appeared to be made her stand out as well.

But after seeing the striking blue eyes that the mysterious boy had, she couldn't help but believe that perhaps blue eyes were very nice.

"Asuna?" the always gentle Konoka called out slightly louder than she usually did.

"Huh?" Baka Ranger Red replied, blinking her eyes.

"You've been staring into the mirror for a while now," the chocolate haired girl giggled. "Were you imagining that you were staring into his eyes?"

"No!" Asuna snapped. "I guess I'm just more tired than I thought."

A chorus of laughter filled the lounge as the other girls from 3-A joined in.

"He does have blue eyes," Kazumi said with a grin. "How long did you gaze into those piercing blues?"

"I think I could look into eyes like that for a while," Makie sighed. "Only if they belong to a hunky guy like that though."

"So you didn't even get his name?" the inquisitive reporter asked.

Asuna shook her head.

"Well, if he is a student I'm sure someone's got the scoop," the brunette grinned. "And I'm going to make sure that it's me."

* * *

Love, it was a strange word. Used as a noun it described a profoundly tender, passionate affection one felt for another; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection; a sexual passion or desire; or it could be a person toward whom love is felt; an intensely amorous incident; sexual intercourse; copulation. As a verb it described the act of showing affection towards another person, as well as the act of sexual intercourse.

But sometimes love was an ideal - the belief that affection for someone or something would empower one to the point of allowing them to overcome great obstacles and challenges.

Having spent much of the past five years at an isolated dorm in Hinata, Motoko Aoyama knew of the power of love. She'd seen it firsthand actually. Two innocent children had fallen in love and vowed to attend Todai together so that they could live happily ever after. It was the love that Keitaro Urashima and Mutsumi Otohime shared for each other that had inspired two other residents of the Hinata Sou to attend Tokyo University.

Love for her fellow tenants and for the memories that they had created in the past five years just wasn't enough to keep what she had once thought of as a tight-knit family together. The first to leave had been one of the most recent to come as he'd gone to another university to study magic. True, he came back for the holidays, but he never really stayed for longer than a night or two. Then came Shinobu, who had once idolized Keitaro and Naru as she chose to attend Mahora instead of the more prestigious Todai. Even Naru had left, though only after she graduated from Todai, as she accepted a position teaching at Mahora.

Even though Keitaro had found more tenants to move into the vacated rooms, there really was no way to replace their former occupants. The fiery and temperamental Naru Narusegawa had mellowed out in the later years but her quick temper and wicked punch had left Keitaro sized holes in the walls and ceiling that reminded all of the tenants of her each time they passed by the hasty repaired holes.

Then there was the unofficial house mother. Though she was far from the oldest, Shinobu Maehara was the most mature of the residents. The once timid and soft-spoken girl had quickly blossomed into a level-headed young woman who was capable of reigning in even the most outspoken and outrageous tenants. And of course there was the fact that no one could cook like her. Yes, everyone missed her four star cooking.

Even Ranma was irreplaceable; then again, he was a master martial artist the caliber of which had not been seen in generations. And he was an immortal who would probably live to see the next millennium. But what really made him irreplaceable was the effect he had on the various women. Sure, Mutsumi was immune due to the childhood pact she'd made with Narusegawa that one of them would marry Keitaro (and as Naru had not been the one to marry Keitaro the busty Mutsumi had happily, um, jumped Keitaro). Several residents had pursued the stallion, each hoping to be the one to break him. Though only two of them had actually ridden the wild horse neither woman had managed to reign him in.

The slender woman couldn't help but smile as she thought of her last encounter with the immortal. Though her son was about to turn three, he had managed to run the immortal ragged, a feat that none of the adults at the Hinata Sou had been able to do in his time with them. To this day no housecat dared to come near little Mitsurugi after what Ranma had taught the future leader of the Shinmeiryu.

As much as she loved the man, Motoko knew that her family and the others allied with the Shinmeiryu would never accept him. Yes, he was to be the next Grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū, the position that her current brother-in-law held, but it was clear that Ranma did not have the same stance as his former friend and rival. While Ryoga Hibiki often made a show of supporting the Shinmeiryu and its current acting head (who happened to be his wife) it was well known amongst the other masters that he did not see eye to eye with her.

Ranma took things a step further as he openly allied himself with the independents. The nickname granted to him was given only because the independent groups felt that he was the best person to speak on their behalf to the other magical associations. They deemed him their "Ambassador" because they knew that the other factions would recognize him even if they didn't like or agree with the lesser known factions or groups. Even the demons and sub-humans approached him for consul or mediation as the creatures of the night sought to find some common ground with the humans that ruled the day.

Officially, Ranma's stance was considered blasphemy to demon hunters like the Shinmeiryu, but unofficially even the proud Shinmeiryu had softened on their stance against non-humans. Setsuna Sakurazaki was a prime example of that as the half-demon had been raised by her brother. Then again, he had already left the Shinmeiryu at that point, but not before several low ranking members of the Shinmeiryu had left in protest.

Still, Ranma was slowly helping the Shinmeiryu to mend those old wounds just as he was helping the independent groups and the non-humans establish themselves.

"It's different now," her lover said as he playfully yet skillfully caressed the taunt canvas with the paint laden brush.

"Hmm?" the slender kendoka replied as she looked up at the freshly painted ceiling.

"You've become more mature," he stated as he applied more paint to the ceiling.

"As have you," she replied. For a second she lost herself in the intricate painting on the ceiling. "I can't believe that I once thought I could keep you as my lover just because I already have a son."

"We were young and foolish back then," he ceded as completed the clouds.

"Why don't you just install a skylight?" she asked. "It'd look better than what you painted."

The raven haired master martial artist cast a look back at her as he placed the brush back into th epaint can.

"Once I graduate I'll be taking over for my sister."

Ranma smirked, "So you've got until the next Golden Week to enjoy yourself."

Rather than simply leaping off the scaffolding Ranma simply climbed down the side in an uncustomary display of caution.

The young, energetic face had changed little in the four plus years that she'd known him. No crow's feet or worry lines formed on his eternally young face and they never would. True, he could alter his appearance on command if he wanted to, but here, in his very home, he chose do without it. With her he could be the eternally young man that had captured her heart the moment she'd first seen him fighting.

"Onodera's asked me out," the proud kendoka stated.

"Little Kensaku?"

"Actually, we went on a hunt together over Golden Week," she added. "He took down a pack of werewolves by himself."

She could see the thoughts racing through his mind as he slowly extracted his hand. "I was wondering who was training him."

The kendoka carefully touched the newly painted walls, letting her fingers run over the course, textured surface. "He's not so little anymore."

"Yeah," Ranma ceded. "He looks old enough to not get carded when he buys beer."

"He's matured," Motoko stated. "Mitsurugi likes him."

"And he doesn't have to explain why he doesn't age," the immortal added as he examined his clothes, checking for any stray drops of paint that might have tarnished his shirt.

"He's not the only one who's asked me out," the slender kendoka stated. "Tsuruko's also suggested a marriage to Masataka Takayangi of the White Feathers."

"Taka?" Ranma nodded. "Politically, he's the best suited. Talent wise he's better than Kensaku."

"You've fought him?"

"Not as me," the master illusionist smirked. "He's the second in line, but it looks like he's a bit more rebellious… kinda reminds me of you actually."

She wasn't sure how to take his lightheartedness. Unlike Naru, Motoko knew that Ranma was an accomplished actor and could present just the right amount of emotion to make his performance believable. But unlike Naru, the kendoka had never agreed to just a physical relationship with the master martial artist. Though she had crushed and even fallen in love with him, it wasn't until they had become intimate that both of them had realized they were better off as friends than as lovers.

"I have to see Toko and Setsuna before I head back to Hinata," she announced as she walked towards the exit.

Ranma nodded.

"Neither of them know what you look like, what you really look like," the kendoka added. "But I'm sure that it wouldn't take them long to figure out that you're dating that cute redhead."

The look on Ranma's face was nearly priceless. It was good to know that he could still be surprised. "I'm not dating her."

"Sure," the slender woman smirked. "I know you like them young, so maybe I'll have Shinobu keep an eye on you."

* * *

School, Ranma really didn't remember much of his time in junior high or in high school. With the focus his father had put on him becoming a 'man amongst men' and learning the arts, Ranma really didn't have a normal life, not like the students before him. He'd participated in the usual lunch-time rush for the bread and buns, often beating Ryoga for the last morsel of food. But Mahora wasn't like that.

With the size of the combined student body between the various schools it was infeasible for the schools to depend on a single vendor to serve the students at each school. With their focus on providing their students with a multitude of experiences several different vendors were allowed on campus with each vendor allowed up to two days of service at the various schools. While most of the carts or mobile vendors preferred to focus an entire week at either the boys' or girls' schools and then return to the schools where they had the best sales before moving onto the other side of campus the following week, there were a few who stayed on one side of campus.

There was also the fact that many students came to the school buildings early the vendors were allowed to set up shop early, thus serving the early students as well as advertising their presence for the day. The sheer variety of foods available for the students changed the lunch time rush as the vendors set up shop in different areas around the schools.

The availability of freshly made food as well as the sheer number of vendors around the schools made lunch much more interesting and enjoyable though just as hectic as Ranma remembered his junior high and high school days. And it was nice that his students didn't have to deal with sudden and unexpected challenges or duels.

As a teacher it was his responsibility to intervene should any fights break out. It was also his duty to monitor the use of magic by the students. Though there were a good number of magic users, they were vastly outnumbered by the non-magical populace. Perhaps only one in ten students used magic or knew that magic existed. Another two suspected that magic existed. Though the magical students were discouraged from using their magic to prank their peers it wasn't unusual for some of them to try. Add in the fact that a good number of them were in their volatile teenage years and it only made sense that some disgruntled teen might use magic to either get back at someone or to avenge some transgression against a friend.

"Saotome-san!" a deep voice called out.

Ranma forced a slight smile to his lips, remembering what his students had about him seeming to be distant and unapproachable. But did that reputation extend to the other teachers as well? Sure, he was friendly with Naru and Takahata, but that was probably it. Few of the other teachers had spoken to him during the various social get-togethers the Dean had held for all of the teachers and even the ones he had spoken to were merely faces in a crowd to him.

True, the politics of his position with Mahora probably had something to do with it as nearly all of the teachers knew something about the existence of magic. Of the magical teachers only Takahata and Naru spoke with him regularly. The rest spoke to him only when necessary. So what would prompt the tanned beauty to call out to him?

"Tatsumiya, right?" he asked as the dark haired woman approached him.

Like a tiger stalking its prey she approached him, her eyes fixed on him. Only the slightest of movements suggested that her eyes were also appraising him. Each step suggested years of training and more years of combat.

"I'd like a word," she said calmly as she stood a few steps before him.

The lightest of annunciations kept her from speaking perfect Japanese, suggesting that she'd spent extensive time traveling abroad. Still, she'd clearly worked hard to mask the minor inflections so that they appeared to be nothing more than regional differences in the dialect.

"Sure," he replied as he stood up.

Masked in his illusions he was confident that she wouldn't be able to accurately read all of his usual signs and body language. Still, he knew that he shouldn't be going out of his way to deceive the other teachers. Perhaps that was why the students thought of him as distant and unapproachable.

Casually the two teachers walked around the grounds, watching as their students enjoyed the fair weather.

Walking beside the other teacher, Ranma got a better measure of her. Though she wasn't as buxom as Naru, he could tell from the way her breasts bounced as she walked that Tatsumiya was at least a full B or perhaps a blossoming C-cup and that she wasn't wearing a bra. Then again, the holster she wore over her light shift and the matching handguns that hid beneath the loose folds of her blouse probably wouldn't have made wearing a brassier very comfortable. The deceptively loose but apparently sleek outfit was bland in appearance but very functional, accentuating her tanned skin and dark hair while hiding her slender yet elegant curves. Only her long, toned legs seemed to stand out, drawing most eyes away from her penetrating eyes.

"It's not unusual for a first year teacher like yourself to not be scheduled for a patrol," the woman stated as she led him around to the side of the building. "But for a teacher to cause a disruption and not report it, it makes me wonder if you really are trying to pit yourself against Mahora and the Dean."

'_Ah,'_ the immortal instructor thought. "Not gonna waste any time getting to the point I see."

"So," she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes, "you admit it was you?"

"That depends," he replied. "Just what is it that I supposedly did?"

"Martin Skoglund," she said pointedly, "I know that it was you."

Not bothering to deny it, Ranma smiled. "How?"

"Your scent," she answered as she turned to actually look him in the eye.

With the assistance of her heels she was able to look into his eyes without having to turn her face up at him. Her piercing dark brown eyes almost looked as though they were able to pierce the veil of his illusions.

"You might be able to disrupt someone when you're actually with them"

"but when I'm not there the effect wears off," he finished. "Let me guess, you had Luke check the area after you didn't find any clues? Having the resident werewolf sniff around helps I guess. Even in his uncursed form the full moon augments his sense of smell."

Dark brown eyes locked with his calm, blue ones, giving him all the response he needed.

"What was the 'Ambassador' doing outside of the boys' dorm?" Tatsumiya demanded.

"Didn't you talk to the students?" he asked as he turned away from her and continued to walk around the building.

"You were asking them about your classes."

Ranma nodded. "I guess I come off as a bit too stiff and distant." A slight shrug punctuated the statement as he waved at one of his students. "But at least I'm not as unfriendly as you."

The proud woman bristled at the insinuation. "What were you doing there?"

"I wasn't trying to recruit anyone to any of the Independents," he replied, cutting her off even before she could make the accusation. "I work for myself; I stand alone. That's why they call me the 'Ambassador' and not the 'Recruiter' or the 'Voice'. And I wasn't there to pass any message on to anyone. I'm sure you have the names of all the students I talked to, and I'm sure none of them thought anything of what Martin said to them. At least not until someone made a big stink about Martin."

For a moment the pair walked along in silence as the tanned woman considered what he said. "So why"

"Something caught me off guard," Ranma replied, cutting her off once again. "I'm still not sure what, but apparently it hid its scent even from Luke. Unless of course you're hiding that tidbit from me."

Before he could get an answer from her the bell announcing the end of the lunch period sounded. Still, he didn't need her to confirm or deny the remark as her surface thoughts betrayed her.

'Evangeline – how did I miss that?' he mentally chided himself as he walked towards the entrance to the building. "I guess I'll be seeing you around Tatsumiya."

"Mana," she said. "Call me Mana."

For a moment he paused, turning around and smiling at her. "Call me Ranma."

* * *

Ranma Saotome was the best. His father Genma had raised him to be a man amongst men, to take unite and eventually take over both branches of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū. As such Ranma not only had to excel in the art, he had to learn to instruct. But being an instructor was completely different from being a teacher.

The sheer number of students that he handled on a daily basis as well as the fact that he had to take in not only the varying level of interest that each student had as well as the fact that not everyone in the same grade had the same level of comprehension of the subject matter made things harder for him as an instructor. It was only compounded by the fact that he had to have a different lesson plan for each grade level as well.

As a first year instructor he had to rely on the notes left by his predecessor and his contemporaries in the other school to figure out where each grade was in regards to their ability to learn as well as to where they were at in their lessons.

Slowly but surely the second week of the term progressed. With his house completed, Ranma now had the time to actually assess his students. Though the string of tests had not made him any more popular with the boys, it had helped him get a better grasp of their ability and knowledge.

Before he knew it, Saturday was upon him. Once again he stood inside of classroom of the rambunctious and raucous girls of 2-A.

"I hear Toshiba-sensei is out again today," Chizuru Naba said a bit too loudly as she tried to stir up the girls around her.

"I wonder if it has anything to do with Toshiba-sensei planning to go on sabbatical after the summer holiday," the petite Ako Izumi wondered.

"I wonder if Saotome-sensei's going to fill in for him," Yuna Akashi added. "Maybe I should see if dad wants me to bring him a house warming present. I heard that he just finished fixing up his place."

"He is one of the other English teachers," Eva muttered as she and Chachamaru sat idly. Both had finished their assignments and now had nothing to do. "But I doubt that it'd be him since he'd also has to cover the boys' junior high."

Ranma tried his best to ignore the chatter and gossip as the class filled in. Unlike their male counterparts, the girls had not undergone Ranma's weeklong evaluations. Fortunately the shortened Saturday class allowed him to simply have a free study hour focused on the assignments that had been given to them over the course of the week.

With only a few girls willing to approach him for assistance with their assignments, Ranma pulled out his English version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Though he'd read the book several times (twice in Japanese, once in Chinese, once in French, and once before in English) he couldn't help but delight in savoring the challenge of reading the book in its native language. But his recent indulgence in the book was due to the coming release of the next book in the series as it was slated to arrive this coming summer. Fortunately its release was scheduled during the summer holidays, and he'd be traveling to Europe anyways, so stopping in London to pick up a copy or three would be a nice reward.

"You're reading Harry Potter?" one of the girls asked.

Glancing up from the unopened book, Ranma nodded. "It's a good read Ayase."

The short girl before him stared passively at the book in his hand. The odd combination of black hair that shone deep purple and her blasé attitude suggested indifference on her part, but the sparkling brown eyes said otherwise. As one of Haruna's friends she had to be part of the Library Club, and thus into reading, but her grades suggested otherwise. But Ranma had become an expert of looking beyond the obvious and not being too quick to judge anyone.

"Is that an actual English copy of Goblet of Fire?" the small girl asked.

Ranma nodded.

"Isn't it a kid's book?" his niece teased.

"It's a good book," he replied. "And Rowling's writing has slowly grown darker with each book, reflecting the way the protagonist sees the once fantastical world he's become part of. It's a good series to because there's so much to it at face value and for those who look beyond the surface. I've found that it loses something in the translation, that's why I like to read the English version."

"I guess that make sense," the third member of the class' library trio said as she spoke up.

"I'm sure you three have read it, right?" he asked.

Though Haruna didn't respond the other girls answered with slight nods.

"It'll make more sense once you've grown up and re-read the series," Ranma added.

* * *

Time, it was the one thing that the immortal vampire had plenty of. Days melted away like wax from a tall candle.

Normally all that she cared about was the full moon and the return of only a fraction of her true power. But with the appearance of the mysterious phenomenon brought on by the new English teacher Eva was curious. Few things caught her attention in the past 15 years as a junior high school student.

It took very little effort for her to act calm and aloof as Professor Saotome directed the class. It didn't surprise her that he simply opted to have free study as he wasn't fully aware of Toshiba-sensei's lesson plans. Still, free study allowed her to converse with freely with her partner.

"The phenomenon is not occurring," Chachamaru stated.

The vampire blinked, unsure how to take that bit of news.

"He appears to be a man in his late twenties to early thirties, with a black hair done into a simple braid."

Eva nodded. That was just what she'd seen as well. The unusual shimmering that had occurred the last time that suggested that he was under a high level illusion was missing this time along with the strange electromagnetic field that disrupted Chachamaru's optical sensors. But what did that mean? Had he developed a new type of illusion spell? Or had both instances been mere coincidence?

Puzzling together the facts that she knew, Eva contemplated her options.

"We're really going to have to look into him," she finally muttered so that only the gynoid's sensitive audio sensors could pick it up. "Perhaps a more direct test is in order."

The diminutive vampire watched as the teacher spoke with his niece and her cadre of friends.

* * *

The warm sunlight called to her as she stood inside the large, cold stone office. Even the thick glass couldn't diminish the warmth she felt as the golden light caressed her tanned skin.

But she was a consummate professional. As inviting as the fair weather was she had a job to do.

Gentle footsteps pierced the solid wood door behind her. A moment's pause was all she needed to compose herself as the Dean's assistant opened the door to the room, allowing the wizened old mage and the scruffy blond man to enter the Dean's office.

"Ah, Tatsumiya," the Dean greeted.

Takahata nodded slightly as a raven haired woman entered the room behind him. With the woman in the room the buxom blond offered a parting bow before closing the door, leaving the four magi to their business.

"Sir," the young woman said, offering a slight bow as a return greeting.

"You wanted to speak to us about Saotome?" the Dean asked as he walked towards his desk.

"Yes," Mana replied.

"Ah, yes," the Dean sighed contently as he sank into the leather chair. "You've yet to meet Toko Kuzunoha," he said, indicating the other woman.

"I'm in charge of the operations division," she added as she flashed the hilt of her concealed blade.

"I've heard of you," Mana said coolly, taking the other woman's measure. Though the older woman was taller by a few centimeters the difference in their height was made up for by the heels that the mercenary wore.

"I'm sure you have," Toko said, a confident smile on her lips.

"Since this is you're new to the division, I thought it best that you meet her," the Dean stated.

"Ranma Saotome is not to be investigated," Toko ordered.

Mana fought back the natural instinct to blink as the news hit her. "What?"

"Toko and Takahata are already watching over him," the Dean stated. "If he's up to anything they'll deal with it."

The sharpshooter stood her ground even in the face her new orders. "But he was involved"

"Yes, we know that," Takahata interjected. "I knew it the moment his ki flared. If you wish to look into that situation, than find out who else was there."

"Just don't ask Saotome," Toko added. "He's off limits."

The mercenary curled her lip in a half smile, half snarl. "Diplomatic immunity."

"Of sorts," the old man replied. "There's a reason he's called the 'Ambassador'."

Despite her position, Mana couldn't help but object to the situation. "Sir."

"Rest assured that Takahata and Toko are both keeping tabs on him," the ancient mage stated.

The knowledge that two of the most senior and respected staff were looking into things assured her enough to silence her protests. Without any further evidence to support her concerns about the rogue Mana could do little. At least not officially.

* * *

Magic, as much as Ranma disliked it, he was glad to have studied it. He'd never expected that what he'd learned in Scholomance and on the road would have helped him evolve and improve the Umisenken. Though he had promised his father that he'd seal that technique, Ranma had improved upon it. While one of the techniques of the Umisenken allowed him to go undetected by the human eye it didn't allow him to evade thermal and electronic sensors.

Simply mastering the various illusion spells wasn't enough for the perfectionist that the cursed and immortal Ranma had become. With time now on his side the master martial artist had taken to learning the theory behind the illusionary magic that he employed. It was that mastery that allowed him to cast illusionary spells without actually casting them. The understanding also allowed him to create new spells and techniques that no one had ever tried before.

The truth behind the Umisenken's ability to 'hide' from the human eye actually comparable to a low end telepathic trick that altered the perception of those around the user and that it didn't actually make the user invisible. That was why electronic sensors and cameras weren't affected by the Umisenken.

But by expanding upon the principles behind the technique and combining it with magic principles Ranma had learned how to avoid being seen on cameras. True, it wasn't perfect, but it was useful. By creating a small electromagnetic pulse he was able to disrupt digital cameras and their ability to capture his image or even to locate him.

The principle and theory behind the technique was actually something he'd picked up after seeing a picture that Martin had taken of them. It wasn't much at first really, but the fact that the wall behind them had been green but in the picture it had turned up white made him question the reliability of digital cameras. Even camera's (and thus machines) could be fooled. By emitting the right kind of energy Ranma could change the way that people and cameras saw him (or didn't see him).

All that was left was altering his scent. As Tatsumiya had pointed out earlier in the week that portion of his spell had been flawed, allowing the werewolf to pick up but not track his scent. Unfortunately no magic spell could hide his scent completely, but there were potions that could be brewed to make up for that or even to throw off creatures with heightened senses.

It was perfect really. The few spells that allowed him to alter his scent often created a shimmering effect that any knowledgeable mage would be able to pick up on. But by resorting to a potion he could mask his scent and avoid leaving any scent trail.

And judging from the reaction that the gynoid had to his presence during the class he filled in for he was sure that knew that she'd been baffled by the lack of distortion in her visual sensors. Yes, layering too many spells had significant drawbacks, especially when technology was involved. If he were to constantly throw off her cameras she and her vampire partner would have caught on much sooner. Judging from the way the two looked at him it was clear that they were already curious.

Yes, he'd definitely have to be careful around those two.

A long, deep breath helped him clear those two out of his mind as he set his sights on Library Island. As good as he was with his illusions he knew that his skills as a martial artist were better suited for breaking into the Library. It wasn't as though he were about to steal anything or damage anything, but the room that held the high level potions was off limits to all but the top officials in Mahora. The fact that he was only a first year teacher and not really part of the Kansai Association meant that he wasn't allowed there. Still, he knew what he needed to do.

With the poor weather the previous Saturday and the fair weather today, it was no surprise that the gigantic island was virtually empty. Making the most of the opportunity, the immortal slipped into the library unnoticed. The map Shinobu had procured for him would help him reach the lower, off limit areas of the structure as well as warned him of any physical traps.

Ranma knew that the areas where most people had access were the same ones that contained only the mundane books. Though a few of the books and shelves were rigged, only the more advanced students and faculty had access to those floors. Then again, looking at the layout of the library it was possible to bypass certain areas to get to the supposedly more restricted levels.

For most the journey into Library Island might have taken four hours both ways, but for someone of Ranma's caliber it was a short one hour jaunt both ways. Slipping back out of the Library and off the island he opted to stop by the business district to pick up some ingredients and possibly dinner.

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now.

Please Review.

Dreamingfox


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes –

Go Packers!

* * *

Magic – the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature.

Many unenlightened people thought that magic could do anything and they were right. But the problem with magic was that there was always an unspoken cost. Even magic had its own laws or rules that dictated what one could or couldn't do with magic.

It was because of the underlying cost of magic that Ranma preferred to avoid using magic. Sure, he used illusions to mask his appearance, but he knew that eventually someone would discover the truth. It didn't help that most of the staff and faculty didn't know what he really looked like, thus making it necessary to maintain his illusions.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Ranma smiled as he took in the weathered, older image his enchanted shirt was projecting. The silken strands of the magical blue shirt contained a durable illusion that fed off of the ambient magical energy in Mahora. The only catch was the trigger – long strands of his hair had been used in stitching the shirt together, giving the magical strands of silk a part of him to create a believable image of an aged Ranma Saotome. The clothes only worked on him, making it harder for others to detect the enchantment as it required a strand of his hair to work.

Even though he didn't use magic at night once he was back in his home, but he knew that he still needed to have a full day to recharge his magical energies and to allow his enchanted clothes to recharge. The difference between using active spells versus potions or enchantments was that the latter only worked for a set amount of time and could be easily dispelled. In the case of illusions the user was easily spotted and the flaws of the spell were more noticeable.

The potion in question would mask his scent and last for the day barring the loss of any bodily fluids. It wasn't too much of an issue as it required him to drink another portion every time he used the bathroom. The only problem was that he couldn't use the potion in combination with his extensive magical wardrobe as the potion would not hide the scent from the strands of hair stitched into the clothes.

No, today he'd go out as he really was. All he needed to do was mask his scent so as to keep those with heightened senses from associating his scent with his true form. The handful of glyphs that Shinobu had spread throughout the campus would allow him to move around Mahora giving him an easy way to avoid being spotted coming out of his own house.

A quick change of clothes later and Ranma was ready to go. With classes over for the week Ranma knew that his duties were complete.

While the majority of the magical staff and faculty were scheduled to participate in the regular patrols of the city and campus Ranma was exempt from those duties. Unlike the others, Ranma wasn't actually part of the Association that ruled the city and school. His ties to the Shinmeiryu and the Kanto Magic Association aside, the immortal master was actually linked to the smaller, independent factions, placing him in a very delicate position politically. Even though he'd taken up a position with Mahora the leaders of the smaller factions still trusted him, allowing him to represent them whenever they did not want to appear before the other associations or their leaders.

Dubbed the Ambassador, he took his responsibilities seriously. Secretly meeting with the handful of various leaders within and around Mahora was simply suicidal. There was no way for him to actually meet with the other leaders either over the internet (which very few of them knew how to use), astral projection, or over a scrying pool. No, what he was forced to resort to was telepathy. Few magi did anything beyond learning to shield their minds or learning to probe into other's minds, but most did so with the aid of some magical device.

One of the first things Ranma had learned in Scholomance had been developing mental defenses. It wasn't until the summer after Hiro had left with Graf that the ancient demon had expanded on those underdeveloped skills. While few would credit Ranma with being anything other than a skilled martial artist and a master illusionist, the truth was Ranma was a master of a variety of skills. Telepathy, telekinesis, martial arts, illusion magic, void magic, time magic, summoning, transportation, and alchemy – they were all areas that he'd studied and mastered to some degree.

The same could not be said of the various teachers and staff at Mahora though. True, they had set up runes and wards that prevented others from using telepathy, but that was only in the school buildings, dorms, and athletic complexes.

If he really wanted to, Ranma knew he could read the thoughts of anyone within his line of sight. With some concentration he and an item from the other person he could link minds with someone across the ocean. Fortunately none of his contacts within the other factions was that far away, but the principles were still the same. A broken katana, a kabuki mask, a golden bell – all were tokens given to him by some of the other leaders.

The telepathic link not only allowed him to meet with them privately, it kept them from having to be in one place together. Though the three that he had just met with were willing to work together, many of the others were less inclined and friendly towards their peers.

"Finally finished?" a friendly voice called out. "Oh, you've already changed."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I'm going to go out tonight."

The blunette nodded. "The one in the kitchen goes to the back alley of the restaurant district," Shinobu said as she pointed to the pantry door. "The door to the basement will put you in Library Island, the door to the hallway closet will take you to your office, the closet on the second floor will take you to the book store, and the door to the bathroom closet on the ground floor will take you to the bathhouse."

Ranma nodded. "Is she still out there?"

"Tatsumiya-sensei?" Shinobu asked for clarification. "She's still in the clock tower."

Ranma smirked even as he shook his head. "That's a decoy." Though his young student had improved, she was still prone to mistakes. Then again, Mana was supposed to be one of the best mercenaries around.

"But I thought the one in the apartment over the pet shop was the decoy."

"There are three decoys," the immortal pointed out. "There's another in the lake."

"Then where is she?"

Again Ranma smirked. "In the World Tree," he explained. "She's probably using the tree to mask her aura and to augment her magical telescope. It also allows her to continue keeping a rough eye on the plaza where she's supposed to be on patrol."

"Oh, that makes sense."

He knew that she was about to say something. Whatever it was she was clearly apprehensive about it as she hemmed and hawed.

"Sensei," she said finally as she looked up at him. "I… I was wondering if I could stay here?"

The immortal paused. For a moment he tried to read his student's features.

"The apartment over mine smokes," his first student explained. "She apparently fell asleep with a cigarette lit, and the fire alarms went off – so did the sprinklers."

Ranma nodded. He'd heard that there was a small emergency somewhere. "Sure, take the first bedroom on the second floor."

"Thank you, sensei."

Part of him wanted to reach out and pat her on the head, but the fact that Shinobu was no longer the timid girl he first met when he came to the Hinata Sou kept him from doing so. Though she was much younger than he was the fact remained that she was a young woman now. "You're not allowed to bring any boys up to your room," he added in his best fatherly tone.

The blunette smiled warmly. "Says the one who looks like he's still in high school."

Chuckling, Ranma returned her smile. "Do you need help moving?"

Shinobu shook her head. "Water damage destroyed my computer and TV, and most of my clothes…"

"You can use whatever's in Naru or Motoko's boxes."

The look in her eyes suggested that she had other things in mind.

"No," he said firmly.

Her wide eyes glistened with moisture.

"No," he said less firmly.

He couldn't even bring himself to look at her again. _'This is why I still treat her like a kid.'_ "Fine," he relented. "But you wreck any of it then you're going to have to replace it."

Excited, Shinobu raced up the stairs, making him wonder if she even heard what he'd said. His collection of rare Chinese Silk outfits had taken him the better part of three years to acquire. One in particular though had caught Shinobu's eyes – the navy Chinese style dress with the long slits up both legs and embroidered in gold and silver with teal highlights displayed a seascape. It was the only one that would probably fit her figure. It was also the most deadly of the outfits. Like Akane's battle doji, the dress imbued the wearer with superhuman skill. Unlike Akane's doji this one gave the wearer a beautiful voice and perfect control of pitch, frequency, and tune. Motoko had dubbed it the Karaoke Doji as anyone who wore it belted out perfect scores on any karaoke machine.

"Just don't sing in the dojo!" Ranma shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "I mean it!"

* * *

The weekend couldn't come quick enough for one Asuna. She'd expected the teasing to increase once the girls started classes as a few of them didn't live in the dorms, but the fact that the rumor and teasing continued even on Saturday had exceeded everything she knew. It didn't help that it rained most of the week, keeping the vast majority of girls indoors all week as well as limiting just who went out at night.

About the only good thing that had happened over the week was that she'd found out that the mysterious guy wasn't a student. Then again, that really wasn't a good thing. None of the guys she worked with knew him, though a few had seen him around since the end of the previous term.

"I'd say that judging from the picture, he looks like he's 16 or so," Konoka's cheerful voice suggested.

The strawberry blond refused to act surprised that her friend had caught on to her thoughts. "Huh?"

"I know you're thinking about him," the other girl teased. "You've got that distant look in your eyes."

"I do not," Asuna replied indignantly.

"It's the same one you used to have when you used to crush on Takahata-sensei."

She could feel a slight warmth creeping up her face as she blushed. With her fair skin she knew that her roommate and best friend could easily see. Gulping, she steeled herself as she awaited another remark. Her heart pounded in her blossoming breast as she waited.

"You really like him," Konoka stated as she took Asuna's hand.

Again the strawberry blond gulped.

The other girl simply smiled warmly. "That's why we're here."

The taller girl glanced around. Rows and rows of shelves filled the building, each baring a vast number of books. "A bookstore? Great, he's a geek."

"I don't think you get those kinds of muscles being a geek," Konoka replied as she led her friend further into the store. "And if he's not a student here, it's unlikely he's a student at all. There aren't any schools around here other than the academies. I've checked the yearbooks and there aren't any pictures of him."

"So why are we here?" the usually fiery girl asked.

"The cards," the aspiring fortune teller replied. "They told me to come here."

The taller girl couldn't help but blink at her friend's response. "Really?"

"No," the other girl replied, a cunning yet friendly smile on her lips. "Saotome-san's here."

"Okay…"

The chocolate haired girl shook her head. "Haruna's usually one of the biggest gossips but she hasn't said anything about you and your mysterious boyfriend. I figure she's gotta know something."

It made sense, kinda. Haruna was usually the biggest gossip of the class, but for her to voluntarily shut up and not tease her there definitely had to be something going on. Sure, she hadn't noticed anything, but she had been distracted by all the relentless teasing that she'd had to endure. As much as she didn't want to, Asuna slowly played back each torturous incident from the past week trying to recall if Haruna really had been silenced.

"So," she finally said, unable to recall any instances over the past week of relentless teasing on behalf of the class gossip, "where do we find her?"

"Well," the always thoughtful Konoka said as she released Asuna's hand, "Yue and Nodoka are taking an extra shift at Library Island, and Saotome-san's not with them, so I'd guess that she's right over there."

Following the shorter girl's outstretched arm and finger, Asuna saw the dusty brunette mangaka as she scoured the shelves for old dojinshi.

"Oh," the startled redhead exclaimed as she noted the raven haired boy that she was talking to. For a moment her mind shut down as she tried to process the situation. Asuna found her throat suddenly parched, limiting what she could say; not that her mind was able to relay anything to her mouth and lips really.

Not only was he holding her hands, he appeared to be forcing himself upon Haruna.

Everything slowly turned red as the impulsive girl leapt to her classmate's defense.

* * *

It was days like this that Ranma understood the allure of the warm sun and fair weather. Days this nice were meant to be enjoyed outdoors, not in the dusty confines of a book store.

Confidence in his hidden gateways and portals combined with the beautiful blue sky overhead prompted Ranma to appear in the bookstore. Though he'd used all of the portals before, no one had noticed his sudden appearances and disappearances. Aside from the usual tricks that the mind could play on a person, the master illusionist had picked the placement of each portal because they weren't conspicuous. With rows and rows of unaligned shelves who would notice the appearance of another shopper? It would be easy for someone to appear seemingly out of nowhere as they could easily turn a corner and bump into someone or turn a corner and lose someone. Who would care if someone came out of a stall in the bathroom or in the bathhouse?

The reason his portals were innocuous was because people were expected to come in and out of those areas. Only the most astute person would care or notice.

Unfortunately for Ranma that was the case as he suddenly appeared in one of the many isles in the bookstore.

'_Of all the places for her to be here,'_ the immortal thought as he spied his niece. _'Well, she is a book worm…'_

"Ranma?"

'_Shit!'_ "Yo," he instinctively replied as the dusty brunette eyed him.

Immediately his instincts flared well before dozens of books rained down on him. Swift hands intercepted the projectiles, sending them flying and back onto the shelves that the young girl had pulled them off. Before the stunned girl could even comprehend what was happening strong hands grasped her wrists, preventing her from further assaulting him or disrupting the store.

"It _was_ you!" she hissed as she glared at him.

"Shush!" he hissed.

A flash of movement caught his eye. Looking past his niece, he spotted two familiar faces standing only a few steps away from them. "It's not what you think!"

With his hands occupied keeping Haruna from hitting him and with the narrow isles between the book shelves, Ranma had few options. He couldn't just use his niece as a shield, and he couldn't turn the corner as the gateway was still closing.

Sweeping Haruna off her feet he pulled her into his arms, freeing up one hand as he used the other to pin the protesting girl so that she couldn't lash out at him. His lightning quick hand expertly caught the fiery redhead's fist. The sound of flesh hitting flesh would have made a lesser man flinch, but Ranma was a man amongst men. Flowing through the parry, he allowed Asuna to complete her punch, pulling her toward him even as he directed her momentum so that she spun around.

"It's not what you think!" he cried out in his defense as he spun the girl around so that her firm rear was pressed against his hip.

Strong feet stomped on the ground, barely missing his own feet as the fiery girl refused to listen.

"He's my cousin," Haruna exclaimed.

He could feel the other girl's aura of rage decrease at Haruna's lie.

"I didn't want to make fun of you because it's not really my secret to tell," the normally exuberant and bubbly girl said quietly. "Ranma, is, well, Ranma's illegitimate son."

"Saotome-sensei?" Konoka asked, still reeling at the revelation.

"It's a long story," Ranma finally said as he released both Asuna and Haruna. "I'd rather not air everything out here."

* * *

Tatsumiya Mana hated Saturdays. Though she had Saturdays off from her lessons, her duties as the track coach for the girls' high school kept her busy. And that was before her patrols.

Unlike most of the other teachers, Mana preferred to patrol alone. Then again, her partner had passed during the war. The majority of the other instructors that patrolled did so with their partners, though not all were Pactico Partners. The ability to work together seamlessly was something that Tatsumiya had yet to develop with any of the other teachers. Sure, Takahata was good, but he preferred to work alone as well.

Having spent much of the last year working her patrols alone the sharpshooter knew the best places to get a great view of the majority of the campus. As the tallest structure on the entire campus the World Tree provided her with the best vantage point. Unfortunately it didn't allow her to see everything.

Despite the fact that she'd been told to ignore Ranma Saotome, the former mercenary couldn't help but look into him. The so called "Ambassador" was associated with nearly every minor Magical Association and some of the major ones, but officially was unaffiliated with any. He knew the leaders of each Association as well as a multitude of the various leaders of several factions.

That made him suspicious.

The fact that he had yet to emerge from his own home the entire afternoon was puzzling, but it only accentuated the fact that his students found it hard to approach him.

But that wasn't good enough for Tatsumiya. She needed answers. And she'd get them one way or another.

* * *

A diminutive figure scowled as she eyed the reports. "No one's investigating the incident from last weekend?"

"No mistress," the gynoid replied. "You are displeased by this?"

"Yes," the vampire snapped. "It means that either they discovered what happened and don't care or they discovered what happened and they don't think that it's a problem."

"Or they could have just dismissed it as an incident between aspiring students."

Eva considered her partner's interpretation of the unusual turn of events. "Who was investigating it?"

The gynoid froze as she examined the electronic report. "Tatsumiya Mana," Chachamaru stated as she displayed the track coach's file on the monitor.

"The Mercenary… curious." Evangeline pondered the facts. "I'd have thought that Takahata would have been in charge of the investigation."

"Takahata-sensei was not on patrol last weekend," the gynoid stated. "Perhaps that is why he is not involved with the investigation."

"Curious," Eva muttered. "It's peculiar that so many inconsistencies occur at the same time."

As an artificial being Chachamaru didn't understand the relevance of instinct or intuition though she could read the signs of concern on her partner's face.

"Tatsumiya's on patrol today, isn't she?" Eva finally asked.

"Affirmative."

"In her usual place in the world tree?"

"Affirmative," the gynoid replied. "But it appears that she has set up several decoys as well."

"Decoys?"

"She's using my siblings to investigate something."

The blond vampire eyed the gynoid. "But you said the investigation into the incident was closed."

"Correct," Chachamaru reiterated. "My sisters are located here," she stated as she displayed the map on the monitor, highlighting four of her sisters.

"Hack your sisters," Eva ordered. "I want to find out what the Mercenary's so focused on."

"That is not necessary," Chachamaru stated. "They appear to be focused on this property."

Eva scowled as she eyed the map. "Isn't that"

"Saotome-sensei's house," the gynoid finished.

"Curious."

* * *

"So you see why I didn't want to tell you," Haruna said in a fairly stern tone.

Ranma watched as the other girls nodded. Judging from their behavior it appeared as though they believed the tall tale that the mangaka had spun.

"So," the chocolate haired girl finally said as she looked up at the two Saotomes, "you're the product of in vitro fertilization?"

Ranma nodded.

"And it happened before Haruna was born?" she added.

Again Ranma nodded.

"But someone stole your father's, um," both of the other girls squirmed "sperm and artificially inseminated several women with it?"

"Something like that," Ranma replied.

"But it was done without my uncle's consent," Haruna added. "Even now he doesn't know how many children resulted from that incident."

The raven haired boy nodded. _'Just how much did Ukyo and Konatsu tell her about me?'_

"And you're here why?" Konoka asked.

"Ever since pops found out about me, he's insisted that I become a great martial artist," Ranma stated. "I've been staying with a friend of his while he spent the last few years finishing school."

"But now that he's got a real home he's going to have you stay with him, right?" Konoka asked in an almost pleading tone.

Reflexively Ranma scratched his head, looking away from the girls. "Maybe," he replied.

"I heard that he's going to have his son move in with him," the petite girl stated. "That's not going to be you?"

Ranma gulped.

"He's still on his training trip," Haruna interjected. "Uncle thinks that he's old enough to live on his own and he only comes by occasionally to visit me. They don't really get alone."

"You don't get along?" Asuna repeated.

Ranma shrugged, "Strange circumstances and all – it's just a bite weird, ya know?"

"But he's your father!" the fiery girl exclaimed.

"She's an orphan," Haruna hissed lightly so that only he could hear.

Looking into her fake blue eyes, Ranma gulped. He couldn't understand her pain and anguish because he'd had his father around when he'd grown up. Terrible as parts of his youth had been, it didn't compare to what Asuna endured.

"I'm sorry," he managed to force out of his parched mouth. "But it's just not that easy – for him or for me. I'm sure it's not easy for any of us."

"But you'll make an effort to talk with him, right?" a teary eyed Konoka demanded.

"He's making an effort," Haruna interjected as she placed herself between the raven haired boy and the chocolate haired girl. "They all are."

"We all are," Ranma reaffirmed. "But it's my family – it's not your place to tell me or us what we need to do."

Before the fiery redhead could protest, Ranma gently pressed his finger to her lips, silencing her.

"Please," he said, his cool blue eyes piercing her fake blue ones.

He could see the reluctance in her eyes that said so much more than she could articulate with his finger pressed to her lips.

Forcing a smile, he withdrew his hand. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got some family stuff to talk about."

* * *

Trust – reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confident expectation of something; to rely upon or place confidence in someone; to commit or consign with trust or confidence.

Trust, it was something that Ranma had in his newest tenant and his first student. It was what her sensei was showing her by allowing her to wear the particular dress she was wearing. Though few would have thought anything of the silk dress that she was wearing Shinobu knew that Ranma knew what the dress allowed the wearer to do. Unfortunately Ranma didn't know the full extent of what he had dubbed the "Karaoke Doji". The blunette couldn't help but think that if he had known what it was fully capable of and what she was planning to do with it he would have destroyed the dress long ago.

Then again he'd nearly destroyed it when he realized what was embroidered on the dress. At first glance they appeared to be mermaids but in truth they were sirens. If not for the research that she'd done in Library Island the young blunette wouldn't have caught onto the truth of the dress.

In truth Shinobu felt slightly uneasy wearing the dress. Not only was she betraying Ranma's trust by not telling him about the full extent of abilities that the dress would give her, but the fact that she'd be using it to manipulate someone was pressing her boundaries of what she'd long considered acceptable behavior.

Using a cunning combination of skills that she'd learned from her immortal sensei, the blunette slipped into the nondescript bar. At first glance it was clear that the majority of the crowd consisted of foreigners. Not only were most of the patrons taller than her, but their complexions and hair color were definitely not the norm for the typical Japanese person.

This particular bar sat just outside of Japan's business district and was favored by the international investors. The patrons were all rich, and all risk takers. Though she knew that Texas was one of the fifty states in America, Shinobu did not understand why the game was called Texas Hold'em. Regardless of the origin of the name, the blunette had taken to the game quickly in hopes of achieving her ultimate goal.

In a sea of sharply dressed men it didn't take her long to find her prey. Unlike the other patrons of the bar, the young, charismatic brunette's English accent stood out from the others. While most of the businessmen were Americans, only a handful were from Europe. The thick Irish accent stood out from all the others, drawing Shinobu's attention immediately.

She could feel his magical aura as she slowly crept towards him.

Only years of training under Ranma had allowed her muscles to relax despite the fact that she was feeling slightly anxious with each breath and step.

"You know," a charming voice said clearly, the thick Irish accent cutting clearly to the aspiring linguist, "I normally don't mind having a stunning beauty like yourself approaching me, but you've got the look of a young tigress ready to pounce on her first kill."

Shinobu watched as the man she'd targeted turned to look at her, his emerald green eyes locking with her brown. "Patrick."

"You have me at a slight disadvantage little lady," the warlock known as Patrick said as he flashed his pearly whites.

"I'd like to have a word with you," she said firmly.

"Business or pleasure?" he teased.

"Business," she replied.

"That's unfortunate."

"I wanted to speak to you about Ranma Saotome."

The warlock's green eyes sparkled at the mention of her sensei. "Shinobu Maehara," he grinned. "Ranma's told me so much about you."

* * *

The tiny, secluded clearing offered the two Saotome's a nice view of the city of Mahora while offering them the privacy that they needed.

"You owe me," the dusty haired girl stated as she eyed her companion.

The raven haired immortal simply nodded, "So"

"How'd I figure it out?"

"How'd you come up with all that?"

The shrewd girl eyed the taller boy. "Mom and dad don't say much about you, at least not when I'm around, but I heard enough when Uncle Ryoga stopped in at the Grill while you were away training."

For a moment the immortal glanced at his niece, readjusting his assessment of her.

"I know about Ryoko and Akira," she added.

He could feel the muscles in his stomach tighten at the mention of two of his children. No, they weren't his anymore – they were now Ryoga and Tsuruko's now.

"Mom and dad said that Hiro's coming home this summer," the mangaka stated. "He's going to be staying with you, right?"

"Yeah," the immortal replied as he nodded.

The two Saotome's stood in silence for a minute, neither sure what else needed to be said.

"So," Haruna finally said as the sun disappeared behind lush canopy behind them, "magic…"

"Yeah," Ranma sighed. "I'm not teaching you anything."

"But Dad says you're an illusionist," the younger Saotome interjected. "And you owe me. Don't tell me that you thought I'd ask you to introduce me to a cute guy and we'd be even, that wouldn't work at all!"

Ranma eyed his niece for a moment even as several different types of illusion that would work well with her talents. Reluctantly the immortal illusionist shook his head. "I'm not going to teach you anything until your parents consent to it."

* * *

"Everything has a cost," the charming warlock stated. "I'm sure Ranma's taught you that."

Shinobu nodded. "He has."

"Has he told you about my trick?"

"Betting years to maintain your youth," she replied. "He didn't tell me, I figured it out."

"And I never play against the ladies."

"I know," Shinobu said with a smile.

Emerald green eyes sparkled as the warlock drank his whisky. "Even if I were to teach you my trick, I doubt that you'd use it. If you did, I doubt that Ranma would be inclined to fall for you."

The young woman blushed at the insinuation. "Play the player, not the cards," she muttered. He was a master of reading people after all; the same man who had taught Ranma how to do so as well as how to play poker.

"Right," Patrick replied, his winning smile turning slightly sad. "Ranma's spent the last three years searching for anyone who's lived past a century, and he's found all of them in Japan. He even found me in Europe."

Shinobu nodded.

"Has he told you about Tomie?"

The blunette shook her head.

"Sad story," the warlock stated with a sigh. Finishing the last of his whisky, he signaled the bartender for another round. "If you really want to be with him forever, make sure you know the cost of immortality."

"But"

"I find men who are willing to gamble away a few years here and there," Patrick said as he shook his head. "I'm not forcing them to give me those years. It's a gamble – for me and for them. I usually win.

"But Ranma's cursed. I doubt that he'd want someone he cares about to be cursed the same way he is. And if you were to take another route to gain immortality, well, I'm pretty sure he or one of the other hunter groups would come after you. Even I have to stay on the move because some hunters object to my methods."

Shinobu nodded. Though she didn't deal with the various factions first hand, she knew enough about some of the hunter groups to know that they wouldn't tolerate any supernatural being preying on the non-magical populace.

"Well," Patrick said as he stood up. "As nice as it is to enjoy dinner with a beautiful companion, I doubt that Ranma would appreciate me getting too cozy with his favorite student. But the night is young and I've a night before I depart. Give Ranma my best."

* * *

The sound of gently rustling leaves reached the immortal martial arts master's ears, reminding him that the three story building was vacant save for himself. After only a month he'd finished the building well ahead of time, and though he called it his home, the building lacked the atmosphere that the Tendos and the Hinata Sou had. Secretly he was pleased that Shinobu would be staying with him, giving the building some added warmth.

But that was neither here nor there as the immortal finished mopping his sweat off the floor. The vast dojo was empty save for him. While it offered plenty of space for him to perform any of the multitude of katas that he'd learned, adjusted, or created, the immortal preferred to actually spar against a living opponent.

A pronounced rapping alerted him to the presence of an unexpected guest. Though he preferred to not use his magic, Ranma reluctantly conjured his spell before throwing on his shirt haphazardly. Once in the main hallway he could make out his guest's dark features despite the aquatex glass opening on his front door.

"Evening Mana," he said as he opened the door.

A pleasant smile graced the woman's face as he stood before her.

"Evening Ranma," she returned. "Is this a bad time?"

Standing to the side of the door he motioned for her to come in. "Not at all; just finished working out."

Nodding, Mana stepped through the threshold, allowing him to close the door after her.

He could feel her prying eyes scouring his body, looking for any trace of something being off. Even the best illusionists were prone to missing minor details, but few dared to use telepathy to the degree that Ranma could in creating a believable illusion. Then again, his actual appearance barely differed from that of his illusion. His build was the same, his clothes were the same – only a few facial features differed, making his illusions even more believable than high level glamours.

"I figured I'd take you up on your offer," the dark skinned beauty stated as Ranma fell into step beside her.

"My offer?" he repeated.

"Of friendship," she stated. "Why else would you insist that I address you as Ranma instead of Saotome-san?"

The immortal paused, his mind replaying their earlier conversation. "I guess it could be taken that way," he said, a faint smile on his lips.

"Oh?" she replied. "Did you mean it another way then?"

He was suddenly aware of her lightly calloused hand on his own as she reached out and touched him. Having experienced the subtle manipulations that experienced women had used on him in the past, Ranma had made a point of being well versed in how to deal with women. Then again, he really didn't have any experience dealing with those women outside of Kitsune and Nabiki.

Gulping, he looked into her deep brown eyes.

"Maybe."

The voice was definitely his, but when the hell did his mind relay those words to his mouth?

His swift hands suddenly pulled her to him so that her perky breasts and toned stomach pressed against his sweaty chest. For a moment he briefly regretted not buttoning his shirt up after his workout.

"Saotome-san," the startled woman exclaimed huskily, her warm breath caressing the nape of his neck.

"Call me Ranma," he insisted as he leaned in to kiss her dark, luscious lips.

The first tentative, hesitant kiss seemed to last far longer than it actually did, forcing both of them to pull back breathlessly.

"No," he muttered, his eyes lowered as to avoid eye contact with her.

He could hear her gulping as she fought for the right words. "It's too soon," she ceded as she stepped back.

His perceptive eyes caught the movement of her firm breasts beneath her silken blouse as she retreated. The unfamiliar dark spots on her blouse though stirred his arousal even as he forced himself to look away. A deep intake of the cool evening air meant to calm him seemed to have the opposite reaction as he took in the scent of ginseng and saffron mixed with some earthy scent that he couldn't identify.

'_It's been 15 years,'_ Mana thought as she feigned trying to regain her senses. _'I maybe out of practice, but I'm sure he's going to melt in my hands.'_

Ranma gulped as he watched her reach out to him, her desperate hand grasping for his own.

"It's been a long time," she finally said as her fingers gently touched his hand. "It's been a long time since I've felt this way about anyone."

Again the immortal forced the cool evening's air into his lungs as he tried to reign in his urges. In the light of the hallway he could see her dark nipple as it strained against her sweat drenched blouse. It was his sweat that had caused her white blouse to become so sheer that it was practically invisible.

Caught in a fight or flight moment, Ranma reacted as he felt her try and grasp his hand. Strong fingers latched onto her wrist even as he spun her around, similar to what he'd done with Asuna before. With both her arm and his wrapped around her he pinned her to him. Unfortunately for him Mana was much more experienced than Asuna and she clearly knew how to use her body to best stimulate him as she ground her firm rear end against his crotch.

He could feel his arousal increasing with each deliberate motion. Slowly, purposefully, he turned them around so that she was pressed between himself and the wall.

"Is this what you really want?" he asked as he took in her intoxicating scent. Nuzzling past her dark locks he breathed on her ear and neck. "Or do you want to know why Takahata and the Dean ordered you not to investigate me?"

The woman in his arms froze, realizing the dire situation she really was in. She'd barely noticed that he had both of her wrists pinned with his powerful hands and that he had essentially trapped her against the wall.

"That's what I thought," he growled.

"Wait!" she cried out. "I came here searching for answers," she finally admitted. "But I do find you intriguing as well."

Extracting himself from her, Ranma put some distance between them.

"You're a curious man," Mana stated as she turned around to face him.

"You were trying to seduce me?" he exclaimed.

"No," she exclaimed. Her almost desperate tone told him that she wasn't lying but clearly there was something going on. "I came here looking for answers. Then suddenly…" she took a step towards him, her eyes filled with desire.

Ranma couldn't help but gulp again as he watched her hands slowly unbutton her blouse. "It would have been cheaper to just bring some dinner," he quipped.

Her sly smile turned into a predatory grin. "Maybe next time."

On the verge of taking another deep, calming breath, Ranma paused. _'The air – it's a lust potion.'_ "Mana," he said as he grabbed her hand, "your perfume…"

"I don't wear perfume," she purred as she licked her lips. Her deep brown eyes locked with his blue ones. Sniffing the air she grabbed her hair before giving it another sniff. "Aphrodisiacs! A lust potion?"

Overcome by the fragrance the mercenary could barely control her actions as her hands sought to unzip his pants.

"No," Ranma whispered. Pulling her to him he swiftly swept her off her feet. In a flash he was rushing down the hallway even as the lithe beauty in his arms nuzzled against him. A mad dash through the corridors of the house and down the second floor hallway led him to the replica onsen outside. Unlike the original at the Hinata Sou, this one was not enclosed by a bamboo fence. The only protection offered to the patrons was the fact that the onsen was elevated two stories over the ground level. The thick canopy could provide someone with cover if they sought to peep from the mighty oaks, though the sap and oil excreted by the tree and leaves would give any would be peeper a bad case of urushiol-induced contact dermatitis. The rash itself would make it that much easier for him to find and deal with any would be intruders as well.

But any thought of perverts peeping on him had left his mind long ago as Ranma carried Mana in his arms. He nearly tripped as the enchanting woman pulled her face to his, kissing him passionately as he ran on. Leaping into the hot water he forced himself to maintain the lip lock as the pair submerged.

He'd expected her to wave franticly in an effort to either dislodge herself or to stand up, yet here she was laying in his arms with her lips firmly pressed to his. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation really. Though he'd been heralded as a great kisser, he wasn't sure if it was his skill or the potion that prompted the dark skinned beauty to cling to him.

Mentally he counted down the time, hoping that the hot water would not be too much for the mercenary turned teacher to endure. With his lips pressed to hers he slowly forced air into her lungs. Only when he was sure that the water had washed off the potion did he allow them to emerge from the water. He could feel Mana reluctantly pulling away from their embrace and kiss, though she was forced to do so to take in a breath of fresh air.

Looking into her deep brown eyes he refrained from gulping.

"I think we're no longer being affected by the potion," Mana stated as she brushed aside her wet locks from her eyes.

"Yeah."

"Or not," the mercenary said as she pulled him in for another kiss.

Strong hands held her at bay despite the fact that a part of him wouldn't have minded enjoying another kiss.

"Right," Mana said, a sly smile on her lips, "dinner first. But I need a change of clothes first."

* * *

"Can't you get me a better view?" the irritable vampire snapped, her voice transmitting clearly into the ear piece that the gynoid was wearing.

"Sorry Mistress," Chachamaru apologized. "It appears that Saotome-sensei has protected the area very well. The canopy's unnaturally thick and lush, and he seems to be very aware of any cameras."

Even though the vampire wasn't physically present, the gynoid knew full well the type of look that was most likely on the tiny vampire's face.

"Fine," Eva snapped. "Return to the cabin but make sure that your sisters are still recording. I want to know when the Tatsumiya leaves Saotome's place. It took me half the week to brew that potion; I want to know if it worked on those two."

"Yes Mistress." Had Chachamaru been human she would have smiled at the white lie.

While it had taken Evangeline a week to procure the lust potion, it was because she had a hard time finding all the different aphrodisiacs. As magic potions went, the lust potion was fairly weak. The fact that Tatsumiya-sensei had already been so focused on Saotome-sensei though helped the potion work in that situation. But the response on Saotome-sensei's behalf would depend on how much he thought of the track coach.

Yes, it would be interesting to see how the potion affected them.

* * *

A/N

Please review.

Dreamingfox


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Notes –

Green Bay Packers – your Superbowl Champions! Yeah Packers! Now Driver, Woodson, and Clifton finally get the ring they've worked so hard for over their entire careers! Go Packers!

* * *

Striking blue eyes stared into the depths of her multi-colored ones, projecting the intent of the owner of said eyes as Asuna gazed into them.

"Be gentle," she muttered.

And gentle he was as the raven haired youth pressed his lips to hers. Strong, firm hands caressed her neck and shoulders, sending waves of electricity through her body as he slowly peeled off her school blazer.

The feel of his arms around her made her feel safe, protected, yet the knowledge that they were on the verge of becoming something more sent a thrill up her spine. A warmth filled her loins and breast as she ground against him.

"Asuna," he whispered into her ear.

A soft moan escaped her lips.

"Asuna!" he said again, this time much more urgent.

Small hands gripped her shoulders, pushing her away and shaking her.

"Asuna!" Konoka cried out.

Multi-colored eyes opened abruptly, locking with chocolate brown ones immediately.

"You were moaning," her roommate whispered. "I'm sure that the girls next door might have heard you. I figured it was best to wake you up before you start crying out his name in your sleep."

The already flustered redhead turned a deeper shade of red at her friend's insinuation.

A quick glance at the digital clock told her that it was still early. But with the morning paper routes in less than two hours she wouldn't be able to get anymore sleep. Yet with the time allotted to her she knew that she had more than enough time to rub one (or more) out before finally getting ready for the day.

For nearly seven weeks the strawberry blond had found herself dreaming of Ranma Saotome, the younger one, with each dream becoming much more vivid and graphic. First it had started out with an innocent chance encounter, then an actual date, then secret rendezvous to keep the other girls from seeing him, and then the past two weeks she'd even begun to kiss the dream Ranma. Her dreams became more vivid each time she read Konoka's secret stash of hentai manga, in particular the series Futari Ecchi.

Asuna couldn't help but feel a slight pang of desire every time she recalled Ranma's face. It didn't help that his father had taken over as the regular teacher for class 2A on Saturdays. Knowing that the two Saotome men had a bad relationship didn't help as each Saturday became a test of her restraint as she fought the urge to yell at the older Saotome to get his act together. The man was a father, yet he wasn't acting the part!

Just thinking of the jerk of a sensei had killed the buzz Asuna had from her dream.

Sure, there was a clear resemblance between the two but that's where the similarities ended. Though she'd only met the younger Saotome twice she could already tell that he possessed the heart of a gentleman. Sure, he was a bit boorish and crude at times, but he knew how to treat a woman. If only the same could be said about his father… if he had been able to keep Narusegawa-sensei happy than the harlot wouldn't have put the moves on Takahata-sensei. Then again, compared to Takahata-sensei… well, Saotome-sensei didn't deserve to even be mentioned in the same breath.

Gathering her things, Asuna rushed into the vacant baths. With her mind still focused on the Saotome men, the redhead's body went through the motions of stripping off her pajamas and panties before heading into the soothingly hot water.

* * *

Cool grey clouds hid the sun in the sky as a lone figure approached the spacious cabin. Though she was only a novice spell castor, the blunette could feel the power contained within the wooden walls. At first it was just a trickle, but the closer she came to the cabin the feel of immense and overwhelming power washed over her.

'_And this is only a fraction of her true power,'_ Shinobu thought as she forced herself to take another step towards the building before her.

She couldn't help but think back to her meeting with the warlock Patrick. Though it had been nearly two months since then Shinobu felt as though she had taken great strides in becoming a stronger and more fiercely independent woman, the type of woman that Ranma could see as an equal and peer. She'd lived under his roof for only two weeks as her apartment was repaired. Two weeks in which she barely seen Naru.

She'd thought that she might have to compete with Naru for Ranma's affections even though she knew that they weren't dating, but the revelation that Naru was now dating one of the other teachers was an unexpected boon. Now she no longer had to worry about the sexy former gravure model sleeping with Ranma and diverting his attention.

Still, things hadn't gone easy for Shinobu. As Ranma's pupil she knew that she couldn't be seen as his peer until she was no longer his student. Sure, she didn't need to be able to best him in battle, but she did need to show that he didn't need to worry about her.

Moving out and back into her apartment had been a big step. Not only did she assert her independence from him, but she proved that she was capable of dealing with the strange presence that was spying on her and him. In fact, her investigations had led her here.

Hiding her fear, she approached the door only to have it swing open.

"You must be Chachamaru," the blunette stated as she stood eye to eye with the gynoid.

The artificial human didn't flinch as she scanned the blunette.

"Shinobu Maehara," a voice called out from behind the mechanoid. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Really?" the blunette countered. "You didn't think I could follow your trail or you didn't think I had it in me to come here?"

"Both."

"You've underestimated me, Evangeline McDowell."

"No," the vampire interjected, "I think it's the other way around."

The gynoid was fast. Springing from the doorway it launched itself at the blunette even as it wound up for a mighty haymaker.

With expert ease Shinobu shifted her weight to the side, barely avoiding the rocket propelled forearm. Effortlessly she countered, striking the cord that connected the gynoid's limb. The swift blow diverted the flight of the appendage, sending it circling around the blunette's head and on a collision course with the gynoid's head.

In the moment it took the artificial human to process what had happened Shinobu struck again, this time with a palm strike to Chachamaru's abdomen as she planted and activated a spell tag. The scent of ozone filled her nostrils as an electrical charge coursed through the mechanoid, paralyzing Chachamaru.

"No," Shinobu said as she approached the door, "I think my statement was correct."

Staring down at the diminutive vampire Shinobu knew that she had the advantage. Still, she couldn't afford to be too presumptuous. "I'm not here to fight," she stated. "I know that in your current cursed form you don't have access to your full power. Even the full moon tonight won't restore you to your full glory."

Though the vampire appeared to be little more than a child Shinobu knew that Evangeline had once been one of the most feared beings in existence. The Shinma Vampire was much more powerful than any typical vampire. Unlike a lesser vampire Eva was immune to the sun and UV light, but her true power could only be revealed during a full moon. Cursed as Eva was, she still hungered, hunting only on the night when her fangs were revealed.

"So," Eva finally said as she eyed her, "what brings you here?"

"I want to make a deal," Shinobu stated.

She could see the pale girl's lip start to curl into a smile. "And what can you give me?"

"Whatever I can pay," the blunette replied.

"Oh? That's a curious statement to make for a payment." Eva stood up, an effect that would have been more impressive had the vampire been in her true form. "Just what do you think you can get from me?"

"A longer life."

The tiny vampire grinned a predatory smile. Again Shinobu couldn't help but think that the grin would have been more impressive had the vampire been in her true form, something about missing the menacing fangs just made the grin less fearsome.

"Curious," Eva smirked. "The way you say it makes me think that you don't want to be a vampire, but how would you go about extending your life?"

"There exists a spell," Shinobu explained, "where you transfer your youth to me or vice versa."

"What good would that do me?"

"You're a Shinma Vampire, unlike other vampires you actually age, but you're locked in a child's body unless there's a full moon. This spell allows your childish body to actually age gradually, eventually restoring you to your true form."

"And you'd have to accept my youth so that I can age," Eva finished. "Interesting idea, but if you receive my youth, won't you be turning back the clock and become younger?"

"Not if we store your youth in something or someone who doesn't age," the young woman explained. "That way I can slowly access it to keep myself from aging rather than turn back the clock."

For a moment the vampire considered the deal. "No interested."

"I figured as much," Shinobu replied. "You're concerned that the spell won't allow you to actually access your powers even though you will age, right?"

Only the slightest of twitches suggested to the blunette that the vampire hadn't expected her to react this way. Of course she'd hold out for a better deal, but now Shinobu had an idea of what the vampire wanted. "How about I help you break your curse?"

"Which curse?"

"The one that keeps you powerless except during the full moon," Shinobu stated. "Unlike a regular vampire you can't just take the blood from someone, they have to offer it to you, even if it is through coercion or through the use of force."

"You're offering yours?" Eva interjected, amused at the idea.

"If that's what you want," Shinobu replied. "But only the blood of a powerful magical being can help you access your magical powers outside of the full moon. Around here there's only the staff and students so I'm guessing that most if not all of the magical teachers and staff have warded themselves against you taking their blood, right?"

The tiny vampire stood unflinchingly at the remark as she tried to feign ignorance.

"I might not be powerful enough for you, but what if I could get you access to the blood of an Asura?"

A sudden spark lit up the eyes of the blond vampire. "How would you get the blood of an Asura?"

"I have my ways," Shinobu stated. A slight chill ran down her spine as she eyed the eager vampire. _'This is the slippery road that Patrick warned me of, but it's worth it.'_ "And if you promise to free it in exchange for some blood, I'm sure it would agree."

Several heartbeats passed as the vampire considered the offer. "You say that you're powerless, yet you happen to have bound an Asura?"

Shinobu nodded. She was sure that the cursed vampire could smell her fear, but she could also tell that she was telling the truth.

"Fine," the vampire snapped eagerly. "But there's one more condition."

Shinobu fought the urge to nod.

"I want you to be my apprentice."

"I don't kill," Shinobu stated.

"Fine."

She'd always heard about deals with demons and devils, but how bad would a deal with a Shinma Vampire be? "Only as long as I'm a student a Mahora and you have to stay away from Saotome-sempai."

"Agreed."

* * *

Golden beams of light pierced the thick clouds overhead, filling the city of Mahora with patches of light and dark. The striking contrast was most evident then at Mahora's Pad Thai Noodles as the fair skinned former gravure model sat directly across from the exotic beauty with dark features.

Even though she'd made an effort to get to know her fellow teachers since arriving at Mahora, Naru knew that she wasn't in the best position. Not only was she a former gravure model, but she also wasn't a magic user like the majority of the teachers and instructors. Given her ties to both Ranma Saotome, Keitaro Urashima, and Motoko Aoyama she'd been given a bit of leeway by the Dean, though Naru couldn't help but suspect that she'd initially been brought in to help lure Ranma to Mahora.

It didn't surprise her that the majority of other teachers avoided her, especially the magical ones. Sure, some of the younger, single male teachers had made an effort to hang out with her, but with her duties as the house mother in the dorm she'd been far too busy to meet with any of her peers. Takahata though had been the exception as they had made an effort to meet up at least twice a week outside of the classrooms, usually at his apartment. Even her occasional meetings with Ranma had been a nice diversion from her normal routines of dealing with the various problems that the girls had.

But the sudden call and request for a late lunch from the track coach had been completely unexpected though not unwelcome.

Still, the meeting was not what Naru had expected as the taller woman had sat across from the curvier and shorter woman. The silence was oppressive, but allowed the former gravure model a moment to appraise her peer.

With her dusky complexion and deep brown hair Tatsumiya Mana stood out from the other women. Even sitting it was clear that she was taller than the typical Japanese woman, perhaps taller than even Motoko. But lost in her height was the fact that she was surprisingly voluptuous with firm D cups.

Despite her own past as a gravure model, Naru couldn't help but feel slightly self-conscious as she sat across from the other woman. As confident as she was about her own appearance and sex appeal, the fair skinned teacher couldn't help but feel that this was what their meeting was about.

"So," Tatsumiya finally said, breaking the long silence that existed since they had ordered, "you once dated Ranma, correct?"

Naru blinked. _'That… that was out of left field…'_

"The reason that I asked you here is because I believe that you are the best person to… advise me on"

"Wait," the blond interjected. "Did you just call him Ranma?"

The taller woman nodded. "He suggested that I just call him Ranma"

"Because he hates formalities," the shorter woman finished.

"Which his unusual considering that he is so formal with his students," Mana added.

Naru nodded. "Wait, when did that happen?"_ 'He never mentioned that to me.'_

"Last month," the other woman stated matter-of-factly.

'_Right after…'_ Naru's eyes widened as she made the connection.

Tatsumiya sipped her green tea calmly, giving Naru the time needed to process everything.

"Okay," the blond finally said as she fingered the rim of her cup.

"Good," the other woman said as though she'd expected their conversation to take this turn. "Tell me everything about your time together."

* * *

Magic, it was a truly wondrous thing. With it one could do virtually anything including creating vast worlds.

Shinobu couldn't believe her eyes. Moments ago she'd seen the elaborate jar and the then miniaturized castle, tropical forest, desert, glacier, and fighting arena then a sudden, intense light had flashed and here she was standing in the courtyard of the magnificent castle.

"Yes, yes," Eva sighed, "it's great and all, but you're not here to sight see."

Turning around, the blunette set her eyes on the vampire. She'd expected to see the diminutive child – the cursed form that the Shinma Vampire had been forced to endure on all but under the light of the full moon. Instead she saw the mighty vampire in all her glory. The tall, elegant figure towered over the blunette, her long, platinum blond hair shone as though with its own light. Grandiose breasts strained against the black satin dress that had appeared much too loose for the child moments before. Slender but shapely legs seemed to grow out of the now too short hem of the dress.

As confident as she was in her own appearance, Shinobu couldn't help but feel slightly unsure of herself as she eyed the vampire's true form. There was an undeniable sex appeal radiating from the vampire, something that even Narusegawa-sempai and her gravure model colleagues couldn't match.

Distracted as she was, Shinobu nearly released her hold on the leash. Though the castle was completely contained, letting the dog loose would have set things back.

Her head cleared, the blunette focused on the task at hand. "Were is the most secure room in the castle?"

* * *

Of the multitude of martial artists that he knew, Ranma Saotome could claim that few of them understood the 'art'. While more than a handful were considered masters of their respective martial arts, few of them comprehended the true beauty of their style or of other styles.

Perhaps it was because the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū was created by a perverted old man who used it primarily to secretly watch women as they bathed or used it to steal their undergarments, but Ranma, as the future heir of the school, understood the artistic side of the school. The Saotome Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū was supposed to be the aerial branch of the school, focusing on evasion and redirecting force. In truth it was about dodging knives and rocks (or whatever else women threw when their undergarments were stolen) as well as avoiding angry women. The Tendo Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū was focused on observing and adapting. In truth it was a style developed to help the old letcher watch women undress.

But mastery of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū did more than just allow him to use the school to steal women's undergarments or to peep on women – it allowed him prevent people from coming in and stealing his things and to keep people from spying on him.

Still, the art behind the moves used by both schools was very practical – evasion, manipulation of force, and adapting oneself to fit any situation. As an artist, Ranma employed all three lessons of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū to their fullest extent. Not only could he see the beauty of the defenses he'd installed around his property, but he could see the lack of beauty in the buildings around him.

Any fool could build a house, but only an artist could build one that was both functional and visually appealing. Any fool could throw a punch or kick, some could even do it without injuring themselves, but an artist would turn the strike into something functional and inspiring.

Though many thought the man seated across from him as a fool, Ranma understood his companion far better than most. Like him the man was an artist as well as a practitioner of the martial arts. True, the man was not even close to being in Ranma's league physically, but few were. But as an artist he far excelled Ranma even though his medium of choice had led him into a surprisingly lucrative career as a mangaka.

"If only you were teaching in the girls' school; that would make for a great manga."

Yes, leave it to the mangaka to find the beauty that Ranma apparently overlooked in his own life. Then again, he really wasn't in the 'ideal' situation that the mangaka had described. That would have been Takahata, not him.

"I'm sure that you'd have plenty of the girls fawning over you, especially if they caught wind of what you really look like," Keitaro Urashima teased. "But I'm sure there are plenty who like older men as well."

Yes, that was definitely Takahata.

"Odd that your life resembles the plot of a manga more than a real-life situation," the other man added.

"Yeah," the immortal replied as he eased back into his seat. "You know, you would have been the perfect student for Happosai. You're just as much a pervert as he is; it's just that you managed to hold it in while in the presence of women. I'm sure you would have been even better than Ryoga."

The mangaka bulked at the insinuation. Though he had never met the old letcher it was clear by his reaction that Happosai had become something of a legend.

Being able to enjoy a moment with his friend, Ranma was able to momentarily forget his woes.

For the past five weeks the master martial artist had the annoying feeling that someone was trying to spy on him. If not for his ability to tell when people were trying to spy on him and to hide himself in an illusion he would have been caught on someone's camera.

Mana had been easy to spot as the tall, dark featured woman stood out like a sore thumb in any crowd. The fact that she made no pretense to hide the fact that she was watching him occasionally didn't surprise him though. Ever since the incident with the Lust Potion things had been awkward between the two teachers. Yes, there was some chemistry between them, had there not been the Lust potion wouldn't have worked. But who had hit Mana with the potion and how had they avoided being spotted by the usually alert and perceptive former mercenary?

"So, are you seeing anyone?" Keitaro asked, easing the conversation away from perverted old men and back onto the lovely women in their lives.

Ranma sighed. Even before leaving the Hinata Sou he'd been on a dry spell. Then again, romantic affairs seemed less appealing considering that the only son he recognized was coming to live with him soon.

"Who's Naru dating?"

Though Keitaro was engaged to Mutsumi, Ranma knew that there was history between Naru and Keitaro. Long before the immortal had arrived in at the Hinata Sou Keitaro had pined for Naru. If not for Ranma and Mutsumi's arrival the two probably would have hooked up sooner. Sure, they had hooked up while Ranma and Naru were simply friends with benefits, but Ranma couldn't help but think that there was more to it than that. Not only had the two not told Mutsumi about the incident (something that the voluptuous brunette probably wouldn't have minded had she known about it in advance) but they had conspired to keep their affair secret from everyone.

"Can't say," the immortal replied, "not my secret to share."

The other man simply nodded. "And Shinobu?"

"She moved out once her apartment building was fixed."

"But she's not visiting you regularly?"

Ranma shook his head. "She's been busy with classes and all. She only stops by for lessons."

Again Keitaro nodded, accepting and processing the information.

"How's the Sou?" Ranma ventured to ask.

"It keeps Mutsumi busy," Keitaro replied. "But with wedding approaching everyone's been busy helping out. Even Su's staying out of trouble and not blowing up a wing every week."

Recollection of his time in the Sou brought a smile to the immortal's face. "It feels like a lifetime's gone by," he muttered.

"And it's only been a few months since you left," Keitaro added. "It's different without you guys around."

A heartfelt sigh escaped the martial artist as he acknowledged the turn in his life. Though he enjoyed his time at the Sou Ranma knew that he couldn't stay in Hinata, not with Hiro coming to live with him in a few short months. It had been hard enough to not destroy the makeshift dojo with Keitaro, Motoko, Shinobu and Su around, but things would only get worse with Hiro there. If his son was even half of what he'd been like at that age than the most they could hope for was continuously destroying the dojo and a wing or two of the Sou. But the X-factor was that Graf had spent the past three years training Hiro. As bad as Genma was, his ideas and methods had merely been borne of human stupidity. How much worse could Graf, an apparently high level demon, do with the boy?

No, leaving the Sou had been the right decision.

"Sushi," Keitaro muttered as the waitress returned with the party boat order. "Why sushi?"

"It's been awhile since I've had it," Ranma replied. "I've been craving it for a while now actually. And I trust the chef here."

Keitaro nodded. "And the sake?" he asked as the waitress departed.

"It's still sushi."

* * *

The late lunch turned into dinner, prolonging the surreal situation that Naru Narusegawa found herself in. In her relatively short life she'd never shared any of the intimate details of her time with Ranma, not even to the intrusive and unrelenting Kitsune. Sure, there had been moments when she'd been tempted to share, if only to shut her older friend up, but she'd always held back. But the way that Mana looked as Naru told her about Ranma the former gravure model was sure that the taller woman wouldn't settle for just the minor, PG details.

"What's he like in bed?" the exotic beauty asked as she stared poignantly at the shorter woman.

Naru was grateful that she hadn't taken a sip of her tea as she fought to main control of her composure.

"I did my research," Mana said, answering Naru's unspoken question. "I know that you dated for a while, and even though you're both friends, you are, what's the term Americans use…" *Friends with Benefits.*

The fair skinned woman blanched. That wasn't something she wanted to admit to, "It... it wasn't like that. At the time we both needed someone and we fell in love. We still love each other, it's just that we're not in love with each other. Ranma's still an important person to me, and I'm sure he feels that way about me too, but we both know now that we're just not meant to be together forever and ever."

Had Naru not been distracted by her own emotional admission she would have seen that the other woman just didn't comprehend what she was saying.

"If you really are interested in dating Ranma," the auburn haired beauty said as she collected herself, "I'll talk to him to see if he'd like to take you out on a date. Trust me, Ranma won't like it if you keep stalking him or try to manipulate him into dating you. It's best to be honest with him."

For a moment it Tatsumiya considered her advice.

"You do know that Ranma has a son, right?" Naru asked. As one of the newer teachers outside of the magical clique, Naru wasn't sure how much the other teachers knew of Ranma or his secrets.

The dark woman nodded. "He has a three story house and dojo on the edge of campus where he plans to live with his son. He'd had his student staying with him until her apartment was repaired."

It was Naru's turn to nod. "I'm not sure if Ranma's ready for a relationship right now, but I'll approach him about your interest in him, okay?"

Again Mana considered her options. "You left because he had a son?"

'_She really hasn't factored in Hiro,'_ Naru thought as she considered how to best avoid mentioning Ranma's curse. "That's part of it. I'm just not ready for children yet, and having a son that old… well, it's more than I could handle. We're still friends"

"With benefits?" Mana interjected.

Naru shook her head. "No."

From the look on the other woman's face it was clear to Naru that Mana knew she was holding back some significant detail. Still, there appeared to be enough truth in the statement to convince the taller woman.

"Thank you for your time," Tatsumiya finally said as she stood up. "I'll take your advice into consideration."

"You don't want me to talk to him?"

Mana shook her head. "I'm sure I'll find time on the trip to Hiroshima to talk with him."

"Hiroshima?"

"Ah, you wouldn't have heard about the trip," Mana explained. "It's Class 3-D from the boys' junior high will be going to Hiroshima. As their English teacher Ranma will be one of the teachers chaperoning.

"Hiroshima may not be as popular as Kyoto, but it draws many international tourists."

Naru nodded again. "When do you leave?"

"Thursday," Mana replied. "Friday we'll tour the Peace Memorial Museum and then stop at the Peace Memorial Park. Saturday will be a free day."

'_Ah,'_ Naru thought as she processed everything, _'she's planning to take advantage of the free day.'_ "Good luck. I hope you enjoy Hiroshima."

* * *

Pale blue fire blazed along the walls as several torches illuminated the chamber for the gathered occupants. Eyes strained, the blunette made her way to the center of the room, tugging on the collar of the hesitant canine as she guided it into the magical circle. Once the dog was in the center of the circle Shinobu took the first of the magically inscribed bindings and attached it to the dog's collar. Soon six more bindings were connected to the whimpering mutt.

"I thought you promised me an Asura?"

The blunette eyed the impatient vampire, mentally noting how odd it was the immortal who was the most impatient. "And I'm about to deliver on that. You want an Asura that's bound, not one who's free to rampage in your magical castle."

Though she appeared to be little more than a ten year old child, the full moon combined with the ambient magical energies infused in the magical castle in a bottle allowed Evangeline McDowell full access to all of her magical powers. So long as she was within the confines of the magic glass the Shinma Vampire was free of her curse. Now back to her true form, the platinum blond wore a simple black dress that accentuated her voluptuous curves and long slender legs.

Regardless of how she looked, the fact remained that she was very dangerous. Yet even she knew better than to take an Asura lightly.

With the dog now secure, Shinobu extracted a tiny vile from her pocket. Uncorking it, she poured it onto the captive dog's head. Rushing out of the circle, Shinobu made sure not to step on any of the runes that lined the floor.

Immense heat filled the once cold chamber as the magical water transformed the dog into an Asura.

"What did you do girl?" Eva demanded as she felt the immense power of the confined deity.

"It's cursed water," Shinobu explained. "I acquired last year. It's from the Spring of Drowned Asura. Anyone splashed with the water turns into an exact copy of the Asura that was drowned in the spring."

"I've never heard"

"There are many things you don't know," Shinobu interjected. "Few outside of Japan know of the cursed springs."

"Springs?" Eva repeated. "There's more?"

"An entire valley, but they're protected."

"Then how did you acquire the water?" Eva demanded.

"Where am I?" the canine turned deity demanded. Her impressive magical energy flared up, threatening to break the magic circle that bound her.

"Chachamaru," Shinobu said as she turned her attention to the gynoid, "make sure that the circle is siphoning the Asura's power so that she doesn't free herself."

The artificial human nodded, checking the runes that lined the floor.

"I called in a few favors," Shinobu explained. "If you want to know any more than that you'll have to offer me something in exchange."

The blond vampire eyed her new student, smirking at the girl's audacity. "Really now? You're trying to dictate the terms to me?"

"Not dictating," the blunette replied, "simply repeating the rules of engagement. I know about your curse, and that you've been bound to Mahora for the past 15 years. Because of that you've lost all of your contacts outside of Mahora, right?"

Eva nodded in confirmation. "What do you want? You can't get out of our agreement."

The blunette nodded. "I know, that agreement is set. I want total access to your contacts within Mahora. I know you're a rogue element here, but I'm sure you've got connections. Why else would you have an artificial human as a partner?"

"Fine," the vampire smirked. "I'll let you meet Chachamaru's maker."

"Not enough," Shinobu replied. As hesitant as she was to be the vampire's deciple and student, the blunette knew that there were certain advantages to her situation. "I want you to teach me how to combine magic and fighting."

"You want to be a combat mage?" Eva sneered.

Standing her ground, Shinobu nodded.

The blond vampire continued to eye the blunette. "Only if you tell me about how you got the water."

Shinobu's eyes remained fixed on the vampire.

"Fine," the vampire huffed, "I agree to the terms."

Finally the girl nodded. "You only know what the teachers and staff, and maybe a few of your fellow students tell you about the outside world," Shinobu explained. "That's why you know about the magical war, and the result that the Kanto Magic Association wants you to know. You don't know about the war in China between various factions there, or about the role that some Japanese Magi played in the war.

"Though Ranma wasn't involved with that war, he did play a key role in instigating the fighting. China, or at least that part of China, is very much like Japan in that they don't have a central power that rules over the various magical factions, but there are three main factions – the Musk Tribe, the Phoenix, and the Amazons of Jusenkyo. For the longest time the three shared the hidden valley known as Jusenkyo, each protecting the cursed springs. Then the Phoenix tribe's immortal ruler tried to expand their lands, disrupting the balance of power in the valley.

"That's when one of the protectors not associated with any of the three factions came to Japan. Several Japanese martial artists and magi were involved, and went back to China and helped defeat the Phoenix king.

"Unfortunately, even though the balance of power was restored the Amazons made a move against the magi who had defeated the Phoenix King. They wanted him to marry one of their own, but he refused. They tried to impose their laws upon him, but he fought them off. They decided to curse him and his family, forcing him to kill his family in a final act of mercy.

"Because the Musk and the Phoenix were indebted to him they rose up against the Amazons, annihilating them."

"That doesn't make any sense," Eva interrupted. "He defeated their king but the Phoenix and the Musk were indebted to him?"

"I don't know what they're thinking either," Shinobu said, "but regardless they felt that they owned him a debt of honor. Because of what the Amazons did to him the Musk and Phoenix felt that the Amazons had overstepped their bounds, and they joined together to destroy the Amazons of Jusenkyo."

"So how did you get the water?" Chachamaru inquired.

"You're the student of one of the magi who helped destroy the Amazons," Eva concluded.

Shinobu nodded. "I've been able to keep in touch with some Chinese contacts, they helped me procure a vial of the water from the Spring of Drowned Asura."

"Do you have more?" Eva asked as she eyed the struggling dog turned Asura.

Shinobu shook her head. "I do have some water from the spring of Drowned Girl."

* * *

For the first time in months Ranma was finally able to relax. The persistent feeling that someone was trying to spy on him had vanished nearly a week ago, prompting him to wonder if perhaps whomever was behind the stalking had allowed him to feel relaxed just so that they could catch him off his guard, but with his departure to Hiroshima Ranma had other concerns on his mind.

Having never traveled to the world famous city before, the immortal wasn't sure what to expect. He knew that Hiroshima University was long considered to be the best in Japan in regards to learning various languages due the multitude of worldwide conferences on peace and nuclear disarmament. Of course English and Russian were the favored languages, but Chinese (both Cantonese and Mandarin), German, Korean, Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic were useful as well.

Unlike many of the other class trips, 3-D's trip to Hiroshima was a somber affair. The visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Garden and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park only helped remind the young students of the horrors of a war that their grandparents had endured. Though Japan had not participated in any wars since the end of the Second Great War, the legacy left in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans was undeniable.

A chaotic as his life had been, Ranma was fortunate to have never fought in a war. As destructive as some of his fights with his various rivals and challengers were, they had somehow managed to avoid getting into any trouble. In comparison the secret battles between the various magical factions had gone unnoticed by the general populace.

It had surprised him just how many people knew of him even after his decade long absence. Several different factions had apparently tried to find him shortly after the Nerima Incident in hopes of recruiting him to their side/faction. His past fame and infamy had been the key in allowing him access to many of the various factions, giving him the foundation for which to establish some credibility within those groups.

Unfortunately it was his reputation which brought him to Hiroshima. With his students wandering the city on their free time, Ranma quickly and easily slipped away from the crowd of youths. It didn't take him long to fine the soba cart that he was looking for. Though there were many different carts, this particular vendor was special.

"The seafood udon please."

"This is a soba cart, sir," the polite vendor stated as Ranma took a seat. "But I'll make an exception for you this time."

Ranma nodded as he watched the man ply his trade.

The lone cart appeared no different than any of the multitude of other vendor carts spread throughout Hiroshima. The shrine itself didn't stand out at all. But that was how the monks here worked. They did not want to stand out.

It didn't take long before another customer came alone. Parked as the cart was before a shrine it didn't surprise anyone that a monk stopped to visit with the vendor and his customers.

"Saotome," the venerable monk greeted.

"Hayatate," Ranma returned. "You can quit the whole venerable monk bit, it's just me."

A slight twitch of the man's lips suggested that he was showing great restraint. "You're being followed."

Ranma nodded. "It's the Mercenary."

The monk smiled as he gestured at the vendor. Everyone had heard of the Mercenary. Few knew her real name, making Ranma wonder if Tatsumiya Mana really was her name. Her looks alone suggested that she had some Arabic or Middle Eastern blood in her. Despite her apparent youth, rumors of her activities in several magical wars suggested that she was far older than she appeared. Some said that she and her partner, a western mage who specialized in summoning, had participated in the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, and it wasn't until the Islamabad Conflict that her partner had died. That had been twenty five or so years ago. Word had it that she only returned to Japan because of the war fifteen years ago, and that somehow the Kanto MA had acquired her services only recently.

"She can't hear us," the immortal insisted, paying Mana little heed.

"Regardless, she'll know that you've been contacted by us," the monk stated.

Accepting the bowl of broth and thick noodles, Ranma grasped a pair of chopsticks. "I'll deal with her before the job."

"It's not a job," Hayatate interjected.

"Then why am I here if not to take care of one of the princesses?"

"We lost one of them recently," Hayatate explained.

"Corpses die all the time in Hiroshima."

"But not at the hands of an immortal."

Ranma paused. He'd nearly snapped his chopsticks as he picked up a thick noodle.

"Tomie."

The immortal grit his teeth at the name. "How many?"

"Just one, but she's"

"Powerful enough to take out a Corpse Princess," Ranma finished. "And the contract monk?"

"Was me," the monk replied.

The immortal eyed the monk out of the corner of his eye. Though Hayatate Touto had been a monk in good standing with the Light Association, Ranma knew that the man would not be talking with him unless the higher ups within their association had consented. As one of the many hunter factions the other associations rarely interacted with them unless it was to tell them to reign in their hunts or to provide them with information about a hunt. It was rare that they would contract any outsiders for a hunt or for an assist, but calling in an outsider to hunt something that they didn't specialize in was understandable.

The Light Association though was more than just a faction of hunters. Their practice of reanimating the dead to use them to fight ghost or other wayward spirits was frowned upon by many, but it did prove effective. Still, should one of the Corpse Princesses ever reach their 108th kill, well, then things got messy. That was when the Light Association called upon one of the other associations for assistance.

Ranma was actually relieved that he wasn't here to kill one of the girls. Most were normal enough aside from the fact that they were, well, undead. He didn't know why the Light Association only animated the bodies of young girls, but they had their reasons. It wasn't his place to judge them, just as they didn't judge him.

"I don't know where she is right now, but I know she's still in Hiroshima," Hayatate stated. "I believe there is only one Tomie around."

Ranma nodded. Though Tomie had once been a normal girl, something had happened to her. Somehow she had gained immortality, thus preserving her youth and beauty. Perhaps she was the embodiment of lust or perhaps she was one of the many demi-gods or kami in human form, but for whatever reason she had an ability to corrupt lustful men, manipulating them into doing barbaric and violent acts upon those closest to them.

"She was able to convince Hitomi to kill herself," Hayatate explained as he took a seat at the cart.

Despite the fact that he was a monk Hayatate accepted the warm sake that the vendor presented him.

Considering what the man had probably seen, Ranma was not one to object. There had been days back on the mountain when he'd been tempted to lose himself in liquor as well.

Hunting and killing Tomie would be difficult, even for him. Physically she was just another high school girl. Though her beauty was intoxicating, she lacked the strength to even knock down a locked door. Her ability to regenerate made Ranma's immortality pale in comparison as the girl was able to endure being beheaded. Severed limbs did little to deter her, though unattached body parts were also known to attach themselves to others or to regenerate complete bodies. That was probably why there were at least a dozen Tomie around, though none could tolerate each other and often sought to kill the others.

Only incineration could kill Tomie as even she couldn't regenerate after being immolated. Then again, whatever could kill her would definitely kill him.

Motioning to the vendor, Ranma decided to order some warm sake as well.

* * *

Time stops for no one.

Despite the arrangement she'd made with Evangeline, Shinobu wondered if she might not end up using up most of her borrowed youth before she graduated from Mahora University. Though only a single week had passed since her deal with Eva, Shinobu knew that they had spent much more time within the enchanted jar and castle. While one hour passed in the real world, an entire day passed within the jar/castle. Clearly, spending time in the enchanted castle/jar would eat away at her youth.

Still, it was definitely worth it as she'd learned so much more about combat magic than she'd expected. It helped that she already knew her elemental affinity – water, unfortunately water was perhaps the least offensive of the elements as it tended to be used primarily for healing spells. Still, there were some offensive spells.

After studying so extensively with Evangeline, it almost felt wrong for her to come into Ranma's dojo, especially when he wasn't home. She knew that he had volunteered to chaperone the boys of 3-D on their trip to Hiroshima, thus taking him away from his new home. As his student she knew how to access it without tripping the various security wards he'd set up to protect the house and dojo while he was away.

Slipping into the room that she'd used while her own apartment had undergone repairs, Shinobu quickly found her secret stash of magical water. Like her mentor and master, she too had begun to collect water from the various springs. Rather than keeping the water in her apartment she had kept it in Ranma's house. With the various protective wards and spells as well as the other traps he had set up his house was much safer than anything she could acquire for herself. With her ability to manipulate water it had been relatively easy for her to set off the sprinklers in the apartment over hers, thus causing water damage to her apartment.

That had been the excuse she needed to stay with Ranma. Though she wanted to stay longer, she knew that if she did he wouldn't be able to see her as anything more than just his student. Still, it had been necessary to stay there for the few weeks it took to repair her apartment.

Grabbing the vial of water from the Spring of Drowned Girl, Shinobu quickly returned the box into the hole in the floor. With the floorboard back in place, Shinobu grabbed several books from the shelf. Having left several things behind, the blunette knew that Ranma would never question why she had come there even while he was away. Not that he'd bother to question her about anything really. Still, she'd provided some necessary excuses should she ever need to provide them.

Crossing the threshold of the room, she felt a slight pang of regret. Patrick was right, she was becoming something different than what she'd been before, but there was no way that Ranma would love her the way she was, not the way she wanted him to love her. The question that remained was if he could love what she was becoming even though she wasn't sure that she liked what she was becoming.

* * *

The soft white light from the multitude of street lights illuminated the city street, providing the handful of pedestrians more than enough light to navigate their way despite the late hour.

Tracking Tomie wasn't difficult, not when Hayatate's Corpse Princess had managed to cut off part of the immortal girl's clothes.

"She went this way," Luke stated.

Ranma nodded. He hated hunting. He hated having to partner up to hunt, but as even he knew that it was necessary.

The tall, scrawny looking boy was actually a werewolf in disguise. Unlike most of the other werewolves that Ranma had encountered, Luke was at least able to maintain control of his body even under the light of the full moon. That made him an excellent hunter and tracker.

"Thanks for getting me out of the room," Luke muttered, his voice deep and husky as a result of his transformation.

"No problem," Ranma replied. He knew just how much being able to get out at night meant to the boy as he himself liked to get out and stretch his limbs occasionally. "Just remember"

"It's your fight," the cursed boy interjected. "If she sees me she's going to try to force us to kill each other."

"Yeah," Ranma muttered.

The werewolf sniffed the air, catching the immortal girl's scent. "I got it," he growled. "Heroin dealer – less than two blocks north of us."

Ranma nodded.

He really did hate the cities. The tall roofs made roof hopping all the harder. And then there were the drug dealers and gangs. But at least this dealer's stash would be useful tonight. Forced to use his father's sealed technique to avoid detection, Ranma bottled his emotions before vanishing from human sight. "Stay here," he ordered the boy from 3-D.

Had anyone been able to see him they would have questioned what they saw as the pigtailed martial artist bounced from building to building over the heads of the few pedestrians. Silently he approached the back alley where the drug dealer and his crew had gathered.

Before any of the thugs even knew what was happening all three of them were knocked out. Though he wanted to turn them in, he knew that he'd be keeping their drugs off the street and out of the hands of any potential victims.

Gloved hands took hold of the three kilo bundle.

'_Shit,'_ Ranma thought. _'That's a lot of heroine. Hopefully this'll be enough.'_

Immortal as he was, he knew that even he could OD on it.

Stashing the drugs away, he made his way back to the werewolf.

"You're back," the blond boy stated.

Even hidden from sight as he was, Ranma knew he couldn't fool the cursed boy's nose. "Yeah."

"I got her scent," Luke stated. "She's on the move, maybe a kilometer or so upwind."

Trusting the werewolf's nose, Ranma allowed Luke to lead.

With no one in their immediate vicinity, Ranma cast a concealing spell, hiding Luke from any possible prying eyes. "It's getting late," he stated. "We need to end this quickly."

The silvery-blue haired beast nodded.

Both hunters took off, moving at supernatural speeds as they chased down their prey, the werewolf taking the lead.

"There," Luke motioned as he pointed at the opening to an alley. "She's in there, but she's not alone."

'_She never is,'_ Ranma thought as he motioned for Luke to stay. Extracting the illegal drugs, he pulled out a thermos of hot water. As a master potion maker, he quickly combined the two. Heroin was simple, but very effective.

The muffled sound of fighting reached his ears, prompting him to be even more cautious in his approach. It didn't surprise him that the alley led to the entrance to a Love Hotel. Or that she was with a pair of boys or that they were apparently fighting to the death, the winner likely being the one unfortunate enough to take her up to the love hotel where she'd continue to corrupt his mind and body.

The radiant beauty that was Tomie watched in fascination as the smaller of the two boys tackled the larger boy, pushing him back into the brick wall. Both were dirty from rolling around in the alley, but neither had yet to draw blood.

Scanning the alley, Ranma made sure that there were no cameras. With a large dose of the lethal cocktail in the syringe, the immortal martial artist cautiously approached his target. Speed and stealth allowed him to slip in behind the raven haired beauty.

Sensing something amiss, Tomie turned around at the last second. "Ranma," she whispered sensually, "you've come back to me."

Beautiful brown eyes, perfectly formed cheeks, an elegant nose, and luscious lips held him in rapture as he gazed upon Tomie.

A terrible sense of dread filled his heart as she smiled at him.

Only his instinct saved him as he stabbed her through the heart with a syringe, injecting her with more than enough heroin to kill an entire classroom of students.

"Tomie!" one of the boys cried out as he fought to get to his feet.

Before either boy could move, Ranma's fist connected with the now convulsing Tomie's stomach, doubling her over. In a flash he and his target were gone.

* * *

Patience, it was truly a virtue that the woman known as Tatsumiya Mana had in spades. As a sniper she was prepared to wait entire days just for that one elusive shot that would eliminate her target.

Speaking to Naru Narusegawa about her past relationship with Ranma had merely been a means for her to gain much needed insight on her target. Unfortunately the woman had been surprisingly tight-lipped about things, suggesting to the sharpshooter that there was definitely something more to the enigma that was Ranma Saotome.

Having fought in the last magical war, Tatsumiya had heard about Nerima and the spectacular battles that occurred there. But they were primarily just martial artists, not magi. Yet somehow the destruction that they wrought in their seemingly daily battles had been the stuff of legend.

As suddenly as the spectacular fighting in Nerima had begun, it all ended. Many of the aspiring master martial artists had vanished, some dead, some retired, others leaving for a foreign war. Only a handful of names reached the Mercenary's ears though – Konatsu Saotome, Ukyo Kuonji, Happosai, Ryoga Hibiki, and Ranma Saotome.

Ranma appeared to be just the right age to be that Ranma Saotome, but what had happened to him in the decade after the incident in Nerima? Happosai had died, passing the mantle of Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū to Ryoga and Konatsu married Ukyo, but Ranma had vanished, only to appear again over a decade later. In the four years since his mysterious return he'd managed to gain the confidence of several different leaders of rival magical factions as well as the moniker of 'Ambassador'.

Yet here he was, prowling around Hiroshima with the only magical student in 3-D.

Mana couldn't help but think that there was something up. Especially since Ranma had taken the boy out on the full moon and that the foreign born boy was a werewolf. True, the boy, Luke, was perhaps the most restrained were-creature she had encountered, but he was still just a werewolf.

Though Ranma had proven to be elusive during the day, the sharpshooter had anticipated the fact that he'd try to contact the only magical student of the group. Thus she'd placed a tracking device on the boy without his knowing.

With her eye on the tracker, she followed the pair through Hiroshima, keeping herself just outside of Ranma's field of vision.

Yes, her patience had paid off, but just what would she discover about the enigmatic Saotome?

* * *

The silvery glow of the artificial moon illuminated the magical courtyard, unlike the real moon though, this artificial moon didn't reflect the sun's light as it burned with an inner light. Though the blunette had only been gone for an hour in the real world it was clear that the runes she'd set up were working to drain the Asura's power, filtering it to fuel and enhance the magic of Evangeline's castle.

Nowhere was the Asura's power more evident than in the buxom blond vampire as she stood in the courtyard, radiating pure power. "You have the water?"

The blunette nodded. "I'm not sure if this will work," she replied.

"Because I'm artificial?" Chachamaru asked, slightly curious.

Shinobu tilted her head, unwilling to confirm or deny.

"We'll never know until you try," the vampire said with a knowing grin.

"There's only enough water to try this once," Shinobu stated.

Eva stood firm, "Then you better make sure you use it on the right person."

The young woman strode purposefully towards the gynoid. Uncorking the vial she upended it over the artificial human's head. The feel of the cool night air and the magical water against her bare skin sent shivers up her spine.

"It worked." The voice she heard was foreign to her even though it was her own. Chachamaru eyed her hands, unsure what to make of the strange sensations coursing through her. "It really worked."

Gone was her hard plastic and carbon reinforced skin, the liters of viscous oil, and silicone chips that made up her artificial body. "It really worked…"

* * *

The warm spring night was only augmented by the unnatural chill of the empty funeral home.

'_This is too easy,'_ Ranma thought as he struck a match. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he had about the entire situation. Tossing the match onto the pyre, he prepared for the flash of light and blast of heat.

"She's beautiful," Luke muttered.

"What?" Ranma exclaimed as he looked up at his companion.

Years of training and finely honed instinct allowed him to slip under the befuddled werewolf's claws.

"Get a hold of yourself Luke," the immortal shouted as she swept powerful legs out from underneath his student.

"You don't deserve her," beast growled as he rolled to his feet.

"Kill him," Tomie ordered. "Prove that you deserve me."

Ranma could feel his own control slipping as Tomie worked whatever magic it was that allowed her to drive men crazy. Though he knew he needed to destroy Tomie, he couldn't resist the urge to kill the young werewolf.

Leaping over a sloppy swipe, he landed on the transformed boy's arm, driving his entire weight onto the outstretched limb. Springing off of the appendage, he launched a swift kick to the head. The feel of powerful fangs locking onto his ankle didn't even cause him to cry out as he pulled himself closer. Jabbing his fingers into the werewolf's sensitive nose he forced the boy's jaws open.

Powerful claws ripped into his side. He could feel the flesh being torn from his side and leg as the impossibly sharp instruments of destruction tore at him.

"Yes!" Tomie cried out gleefully. "Kill him! Kill Ranma Saotome!"

Despite his injuries Ranma could feel a rush of desire coursing through him as Tomie delighted in the spectacle of the two males fighting to the death.

Rolling to his feet, Ranma ducked under the taller fighter's arms before unleashing a barrage of punishing blows to his groin and stomach.

Whimpering in pain, Luke doubled over as even he couldn't ignore the punishment that the immortal martial artist was doling out.

"Kill him!" Tomie cried out lustfully. "Then we'll be together forever!"

A shot rang out, silencing the crazed immortal even as her head exploded. Bits of blood and brain sprayed through the air, disrupting her control over the two fighters.

Grabbing hold of his rage, Ranma forced it to manifest. The fiery red ball of rage flew at the stunned but recovering immortal. While the blast of ki wouldn't kill her, it did knock her back towards the fire.

A second shot rang out, sending another spray of blood and brains into the air, allowing Ranma to grab a bucket of oil. Pitching it at Tomie, he resisted her fumbling attempts to befuddle his mind.

"Come to me," Tomie cried out as she struggled to stay on her feet. "We'll be together forever!"

A third shot pierced the night, this time hitting the floor and igniting the oil.

Ranma ran as though his life depended on him.

"Ranma!" a familiar voice cried out.

Flames licked at his still healing wounds as he embraced Tomie. Allowing his momentum to carry him, the two immortals crashed into the funeral pyre.

"Saotome-sensei!" Luke cried out as he forced himself to his feet.

"Ranma!" Tatsumiya shouted as she rushed towards the fire.

"Be with me forever," Tomie cried out as he pried her burning flesh from the remains of his scorched clothes.

"Never," he muttered as he pushed off of her.

"NO!"

Calmly, he walked out of the flames.

"Saotome-sensei?" an exasperated Luke asked.

"Ranma?"

The immortal martial artist nodded. "I'll give you both a choice," he said calmly as he emerged from the flames. "Either you agree to keep everything I'm about to tell you secret, or I'm going to have to erase your memories of tonight."

Steely blue eyes locked on unnatural silvery-grey ones before the towering werewolf finally relented.

"You set us up," the sharpshooter stated.

A bluish light filled the room as bright blue runes activated.

"Chose or I chose for you," Ranma stated.

Two quick explosions filled the room as Mana quickly unloaded two rounds in Ranma's head, creating a spray of blood and brain that was similar to what had happened before.

"I've made my decision," the cool and collected sniper replied as Ranma fell over.

"Wha-what's going on?" the werewolf huffed as he eyed the track coach.

"She's made her choice," Ranma muttered as the illusionary Ranma dissipated.

Mana froze, then slumped over as the magical enchantment claimed her.

"What's going on?" Luke repeated.

"She placed a tracker on you," the immortal stated. "I had hoped it wouldn't come down to this, but I was afraid that Tomie might be too much for us to handle alone."

"You let her follow us?"

Ranma nodded. "I guess I know where she stands," he sighed. Looking up at his student, the immortal stood firm in his resolve. "Let's go," he ordered. "I'll tell you everything on the way back to the hotel."

* * *

A/N

Please review.

Dreamingfox


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Notes -

Thanks for all the reviews.

Please read and review.

# # # # #

Death, it was an inescapable aspect of every normal life. Unfortunately his life wasn't normal as had been the case in point when he'd picked up the first of the various curses he'd picked up in his life. The Jusenkyo curse, the Dragon Whisker, Mermaid's flesh and immortality – nothing about any of them was normal.

Case in point, Ranma's trip to Hiroshima as one of the chaperones - a typical trip was supposed to involve students acting up and teachers patrolling the hotel. But throw in an immortal Ranma and you had an immortal fighting a werewolf at the bequest of another insane immortal. Yes, death might not come as easily for Ranma as for others, but even he wasn't completely immune to it.

"So," the auburn haired beauty said as she pieced together everything that Ranma had told her about his trip with the boys of 3-D, "you went to Hiroshima with a job in mind?"

Ranma nodded as he set the table.

Death, even an immortal could experience it, though more often than not they were the ones watching others die. Even though Ranma was immortal it scared her to think that he was risking his life like that. "And you brought one of your students, who happened to be a werewolf, along to help you hunt Tomie?"

Again he nodded. "Luke was only playing a supportive role. Unfortunately Tomie seemed to be playing dead and got him once she recovered from the heroine."

"And you also happened to break up a drug deal just to get her?"

"She's pretty tough," he reluctantly admitted. "It's like she just dumps pheromones into the air that drive men crazy."

"And Luke bit you while you were fighting?"

The immortal shrugged. "Yeah, you know I'm not really an aggressive, offensive fighter, but she just drives guys nuts."

"You're sure you're going to be alright?" Naru asked sounding a bit more concerned than she expected as Ranma set down the tray of takoyaki.

The raven haired man nodded.

Though he was far from normal, being able to sit down and enjoy a casual evening out with a friend always made him feel like he belonged in the normal world. It was one of the few things that Naru made an effort to do as it helped the immortal feel semi-normal despite the fact that most of what he talked about was as abnormal as possible, which was saying a lot considering that they both taught at a magical school. Still, the fact remained that in the two months or so that they were at Mahora this was the first time that they'd been able to sit down together. It helped that he went around the kitchen without his usual illusions. Here in his house with a close friend he allowed his guard to relax, enabling him to be himself and not pretend to be anything other than what he really was.

"The mermaid's curse shorted out the Jusenkyo curse," he replied. "It probably supersedes lycanthropy as well."

"Probably?" the auburn haired beauty repeated dubiously.

"Well, there's nothing like this happening in the history books," he replied. "But considering what's already happened, I think it'll work out the way I think it should."

Despite her lack of knowledge in the magical fields, Naru just didn't look as though she was convinced by Ranma's supposedly superior well of knowledge.

"I'll be alright," he reassured her.

Though still skeptical, Naru decided to shift the conversation. "So, how was Hiroshima?"

"Somber," he replied. "But 3-D's always been pretty mature."

"They'd have to be."

Ranma nodded. "They stayed out of trouble pretty well, and this trip was about them making some connections at Hiroshima University."

"So, what about Tatsumiya?"

"Mana? I had to erase her memories," he replied offhandedly as he speared a takoyaki.

Naru looked expectantly at him. Though it'd been less than a week since Ranma had returned from Hiroshima he'd said little about the trip over the course of the week. But with the weekend upon them both of the first year teachers had some free time to catch up.

"I spent the entire night wiping her memories of what really happened," he said, his mouth full of dough and octopus. "She's got some impressive mental defense."

Seizing on the opportunity Naru leaned towards Ranma, "Did you see some of her past memories?"

The immortal grew slightly uncomfortable at the idea as he speared another ball. "Well, yeah," he finally admitted.

"Anything interesting?" she asked, egging him on.

"Some memories of her past," he said as he swallowed the last of the previous takoyaki.

"Anything interesting?" she asked again.

"Just some of her past jobs," he shrugged before taking in another bite.

As much as she wanted to help Mana, Naru just didn't know what she could do to help the mysterious woman. Though perhaps part of her just didn't want Mana to succeed in bedding Ranma. 'No, he deserves to be happy.' "You know," she found herself saying, "Tatsumiya's actually very pretty."

"I guess."

"You don't think she's pretty?" she pressed.

"I guess she is."

"Ah," Naru muttered, "I forget that you've had plenty of beautiful women."

She could tell that she'd forced him to actually think about things.

"Well, she's leggy, more so than Motoko," he admitted.

'_Not good,'_ Naru assessed_. 'He's comparing her to other women he knows.'_

"But she's also pretty curvy," he added, "it's just not as noticeable because she's so tall."

"But do you think she's attractive?" Naru interjected as she fiddled with her drink.

Finally the immortal pulled his attention away from his food. "Why?"

"I think she's interested in you," the auburn haired beauty stated as she gazed into his striking blue eyes.

Astonishment flashed in those amazingly clear and beautiful eyes. "She shot me in the head!"

"To be fair," Naru muttered, "you did force her into an ultimatum."

Like a fish out of water, Ranma's mouth opened and then closed repeatedly as he searched for the right words. "She's been stalking me for weeks!"

"She doesn't know how to approach you," Naru corrected.

"She shot me in the head!"

"But it was an illusion, right?" the auburn haired woman rationalized. _'Not good, he's digging in, and he's completely forgetting the point.'_ "Just think about what I said," she suggested as she patted his hand.

She could tell that he was still stunned by the direction that their conversation had taken. Naru mentally chided herself, making a point to talk to Mana about not using her gun to break the ice.

"What's up with you and Takahata?" he asked, startling her.

"Huh?"

"You're not planning on going somewhere together over the break?"

Naru blinked. She hadn't even thought about that. True, it was a month away, but with their hectic schedules they'd need to book things in advance. "I thought I was going to England with you."

This time Ranma paused, uncertainty hanging over him as he pondered his options. "I guess," he finally said. "Haruna's coming along too."

"She's been coming around her a lot, hasn't she?"

"She is my niece, and her parents want me to teach her some magic," he shrugged. "Shinobu's finally given her a passing grade on her martial arts forms so now I get to start teaching her magic."

The auburn haired beauty nodded. "Is Shinobu going to England?"

"Nah," the martial artist replied as he opened another carton of takoyaki. "She can't afford the trip."

"And Haruna can?"

"Restaurant."

"Oh, right. But I thought Shinobu was working somewhere."

"Don't know," Ranma replied. "I only see her once or twice a week since she moved back into her apartment."

'_Maybe she's over you,'_ Naru thought as she speared a doughy ball.

The two ate in silence for a minute; each pondering what else there was to say.

"When's the last time you saw Hiro?" Naru finally asked.

She'd expected the usually calm and collected immortal to shrug before sitting back and thinking about it, but seeing him sigh as he eyed the food before them was unsettling. Ranma was usually easy going, but seeing him actually disturbed by anything outside of battle was unusual.

"March," he finally said. "Right before I took the position here."

"Right before you finally decided to leave the Sou."

Ranma nodded. "Kid's a natural. He's quick, mentally and physically – maybe as good as I was at his age."

Naru nodded. "He's what, ten?"

Again the raven haired man nodded. "Officially his birthday is April 13th, so he just turned ten."

It was rare for Ranma to talk about his children, but given the timetable it made sense. Still, it clearly wasn't something that came easy for him. Not having any children of her own, Naru couldn't find the words to help her dear friend.

X X X X X

For much of her life Tatsumiya Mana had considered herself to be one of the best at what she did. Few snipers had her precision or skill with as many guns as she did. Only a handful of her peers had ever managed to even survive being on the other side of the scope, fewer still had survived after receiving a couple of slugs from her, much less five. Yet here she was with her rifle down five shots and with no confirmed kills.

For the past week she'd been playing back every memory from the trip to Hiroshima, piecing together her time there as she chased down Ranma Saotome. She'd seen him meet with the Light Association monk, but she couldn't recall anything about what the monk looked like. After the supposedly discrete meeting Ranma had returned to the hotel, and then met up with Luke Sanchez, the young werewolf and only student in 3-D who had a magical background.

With his mind on business, Mana had abandoned any and all pretense of trying to woo the enigmatic man.

Though the Light Association had agreed to the conditions that the Kansai and Kanto Magic Associations had set, the monks didn't always follow the treaty as they were known for reanimating dead girls and tricking them into hunting restless spirits and zombies. If Ranma was meeting with one of the monks, it meant that they'd called on him to execute one of their prized Corpse Princesses. The secretive sect rarely contacted anyone from any of the other factions unless it was to have one of their girls killed, but as Ranma wasn't officially with any faction or group it was possible that they had contacted him for some other reason. And that something was tied to the werewolf.

"I'm not sure if Saotome planned to use Luke as a decoy or if they had simply taken separate route," she stated. As reluctant as she was, Mana knew that she had to report her findings, even if they were a week late. "I followed Luke using the tracking device I had planted on him, but nothing happened."

"So he was a decoy," the man before her assumed. Inhaling deeply, he let out a long, drawn out breath full of smoke and other carcinogens. "It was the full moon, so maybe he had ordered Luke to go somewhere to transform safely. I doubt that a hotel would be the best place for him shift."

"I thought about that too," the dark woman stated. "I followed him until he transformed, but he didn't appear to transform."

Takahata's eyes betrayed him as the hazel eyes flashed at her carefully worded statement.

"Saotome's an illusionist?"

Taking another puff from his cigarette, the scruffy man shook his head. "I've known Ranma ever since he left Nerima," Takahata stated. "He's always been easy to get along with and very forgiving, which is why others find him easy to approach. Because he has openly declared that he's not affiliated with anyone the other leaders are more likely to approach him."

"What business would the Light Association have with the Werewolves?" Mana interjected.

Takahata held up his hand, silencing her. "It's possible that those two are unrelated. It was the full moon, so perhaps Ranma insisted that Luke move to somewhere else to transform. It just happens to be on the day that he met with the monk from the Light Association. Mere coincidence, that's all."

"In my experience there are no such things as coincidence," the Mercenary stated. _'He's trying to deflect and redirect the conversation. He's not even upset that I didn't report this to him immediately after I returned from Hiroshima.'_

"I requested that Ranma went with 3-D to Hiroshima," Takahata explained. "The Dean cleared it as well. Just let it go."

Defiantly she locked eyes with her superior.

"I see you're not going to let this go," the blond man sighed. "If you really want answers, you best ask the man himself. But I'll tell you now that Ranma is not one to take anyone investigating him lightly. Your best approach is to be honest and open with him."

"Like you were about your relationship with Narusegawa?"

Takahata nodded, unfazed by her daring remark. "Ranma knows more than anyone gives him credit for."

X X X X X

A single bead of sweat ran down his forehead between the arch of his brow and down his nose before dropping to the ground. It had been a long time since he'd exerted himself to the point of sweating so profusely.

Beneath him the buxom auburn haired woman gasped for breath. Her glowing skin was damp with moisture despite the cool springtime breeze that blew through the vast dojo. The cotton gi and shorts she wore were soaked through, clinging to her heaving breasts, flat stomach, and shapely buttocks. Even her unusual antenna like hair had lost the strength or will to stay upright after the perfectly executed over the shoulder judo throw that had landed her on the ground beneath the martial arts master.

"Tag," she managed to gasp as Ranma took a few steps away from her.

Three heavy footsteps from his right announced his next challenger. Like Naru, the blond boy was also sweating heavily. After two hours of tagging in and out of the extended sparring match the muscular boy was learning just how out of shape he really was.

Even though he and Ranma had been befuddled, both males remembered their fight clearly. The wolf's pride drove him, pushing him further and harder than anything he'd done before. Though the full moon had been a week ago, Luke was still a remarkable physical specimen. But against someone like Ranma it was clear that he was out of his league.

"You're so sloppy," Ranma muttered as he ducked under a swift right jab, countering with a swift leg sweep. "You're throwing your entire body into the attack," he lectured. "It'd work against someone who isn't faster than you. Unfortunately against someone with proper training and experience your punches are telegraphed. Even if I wasn't faster than you I could use that against you. If you run into someone stronger than you they can brace themselves for the hit and then take advantage of the openings you leave."

As if to prove his point Ranma grabbed hold of the young man's gi and twisted, sending the blond flying through the air and crashing into the wall.

"Tag," he groaned.

Three light steps approached the immortal from his blind side. Judging the distance, Ranma ducked just as his first student flew through the spot where he'd just been standing. The rush of displaced air interacted with the sweat on his skin, sending a slight cooling sensation through his bare back.

Swift footsteps brought Shinobu back into his guard as he stood up. Nimbly he deftly avoided her fierce attacks.

"You're guard's up even as you go on the offense," Ranma smirked as he matched her punches with his own blindly quick hands. With expert ease he deflected her punches even as he tried to hit the pressure points on her arms. "You're getting better."

Grim determination kept her from verbally responding though the blunette's lips began to curl in acknowledgement. Before she could finish though she found herself off balance as Ranma grabbed hold of her sleeves and fell back. Strong feet would have robbed her of her breath had she not directed the force of the blow to send her flying instead. Her damp gi slid over her head and long hair, momentarily obscuring her field of vision.

With only the damp cotton in his hands, Ranma rolled to his feet before tossing the wad of fabric back at his still airborne student.

"Tag," Shinobu exclaimed as she grabbed hold of the rafters overhead and ignoring her state of undress. With one hand supporting her weight, she nimbly grabbed the wet gi with her free hand.

Five loud steps approached him from his left as Haruna approached him. Unlike the others the mangaka stopped just outside of his range before setting her feet and hands into the standard position of a karateka. A straight right punch followed by a swift low right kick opened her offensive. With casual ease Ranma avoided her strikes even as she slowly pushed him back.

There were just so many openings that he could take advantage of, but to her credit she was a novice. After only a few weeks of training under Shinobu the girl had managed to pick up the basics. Being the smart girl that she was, she always changed the opening attack sequence, shifting from judo to karate to taekwondo to jujitsu to aikido. Unfortunately she often stuck with the form or style that she opened with.

Seeing Haruna's fist open he knew that her punch was a feint. Had it been anyone else it might have worked. Still, Ranma blocked her attack, allowing her to wrap her slender fingers around his wrist. Though she tried to pull him off his feet his mass was still too much for her to handle. Instead he pulled her to him and spun her around.

Off kilter, Haruna tumbled onto the floor. "Tag."

Ranma instinctively leapt to the side as Shinobu descended from the rafters. The short time he'd messed around with Haruna had allowed the blunette to put her gi back on. Soaked in her sweat, it clung to her glistening skin. Even without seeing her topless he knew that she was naked beneath the almost sheer cotton top as her ample breasts jiggled and bounced with each strike. It was almost hypnotizing.

Suddenly a punch penetrated his guard, narrowly missing his bare chest. Wrapping his arm around hers, he pulled her to him and twisted her arm as he slipped behind her. With just enough force to make her uncomfortable he pushed up against her, trapping her between himself and the pillar.

"You almost had me," he muttered, his warm breath brushing against her damp neck and ear. Releasing her, he pushed himself away from the pillar.

"Good practice," he said, announcing the end of the sparring. Exhaling a deep breath, he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Luke, why don't you help me clean up?"

X X X X X

Honesty – the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness; truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness. As a mercenary there were few times when Tatsumiya Mana hadn't been honest. True, she didn't always disclose anything that was deemed "unnecessary" but she had always been fair and open with her employers.

She doubted that there was anyone around who knew much about her. Even the Dean didn't know everything about her, or all the contracts that she'd taken for the other factions during the last war.

But could she be honest with Ranma?

She'd been honest with him, but that was because they needed to trust each other to be effective partners.

Honesty and trust… sure, she had something like that with Takahata and the other teachers, but only to a degree.

Perturbed by her situation, Mana found herself standing before her favorite Chinese vendor.

'_Dinner first.'_ The words rang through her mind as she recalled her dip in the hot springs with Ranma. A sly smile formed on her lips as an idea formed.

X X X X X

To most thought that the martial arts were a reference to the art of warfare, but to an accomplished master like Ranma Saotome they were more than a means to physically defeat others or to defend himself from a physical threat. The martial arts were more than just a systematization of a fighting technique (or techniques in Ranma's case); it was more than just a set of spiritual belief systems. No, to Ranma it was life. His art was his life. His art allowed him to control himself even though he had long ago learned that he couldn't control the other factors in his life.

It was the element of control, or lack of, that he was most disturbed by.

The afternoon sparring session had not gone the way he'd expected. Though he had spent over two hours sparring with the girls and Luke, the sudden end had been, well, troubling. He wasn't sure why, but he'd felt… off kilter after Shinobu had lost her gi.

He just couldn't put his finger on it, but something about being close to Shinobu at that particular moment had caused the immortal martial artist to lose control, if even just momentarily.

Pouring the cool water over his head he knew that he was lying to himself. He knew why he had been distracted, and he knew that it was wrong. He'd allowed himself to become distracted by Shinobu as he fought her. But it wasn't just that he'd been distracted, it was because of what had distracted him. He'd become hypnotized by her breasts in the middle of a sparring session. He'd allowed himself to feel, well, lust, in the middle of sparring with his student.

It was wrong. There was no other way to describe it. She was his student, and he was her master and teacher.

It was wrong.

Wiping the water from his eyes he sighed before filling the bucket with more water.

Closing his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of Shinobu topless, her breasts swaying and bouncing as she lashed out with a series of punches.

Startled, he opened his eyes, nearly dropping the wooden bucket.

No, it was wrong. And he needed to do something about it. He needed to set it right.

X X X X X

The silvery glow of the artificial moon shone down on the blunette as she lounged on the tropical beach. Though she had spent nearly a day within the magical complex it had only been a few hours since she'd sparred with her sensei. The fact that she'd nearly managed to land a blow against him was a major victory in and of itself, but the fact that she'd mesmerized him with her feminine charms, well, that was probably a first in the immortal martial arts master's life.

From what she recalled of his various tales, the Amazon known as Shampoo had been the most persistent at trying to win him over with her feminine wiles and charm, yet Ranma had always rejected her. Of the countless times that Ranma had seen bare breasts or fought against female opponents he'd never had the kind of reaction that he had when they sparred.

Yes, it was a great victory. While she might not be on the same level as her master and sensei, Shinobu knew how to interpret attack and defensive patterns. The hard part had been luring him into her trap of exchanging punches and strikes, and then offering the right opening. The subtle manipulation wouldn't have worked on anyone else or in any other scenario, but somehow she'd managed to pull it off. Losing her gi and getting kicked in the stomach was well worth it.

"So what are you going to do now?" the familiar voice of the voluptuous vampire queried. "You've got his attention, but you're going to have to follow up on it or it'll all be for naught."

Sitting up, Shinobu turned towards Evangeline. "I know; I'm just not sure what the best course of action is going to be yet."

The platinum blond vampire nodded. "I'm usually the one attracting them to my bed," she stated. "But I have been in your shoes before. If it was me I'd just slip into his bed tonight."

"Someone's already done that before," the blunette stated. "Didn't work."

"It might not have worked for her, but for you, well, you never know."

Shinobu nodded, "I don't just want to force my hand, and as you said, you never know how he's going to react. I need a surefire plan to get me the result I want."

Eva pondered her student's plight for a moment before a wicked gleam filled her eyes. "Dinner."

Shinobu blinked. "Dinner?"

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?"

Shinobu shook her head. "I've tried that - every day for the first few weeks of the term up until after I moved back into my apartment I brought him dinner and it didn't work."

"But did you actually talk with him?" Eva countered.

The blunette blinked. "No."

Eva smiled wickedly. "Well, here's what you do."

X X X X X

The stifling, smoky air of the studio apartment clung to his damp skin as thick rivulets of sweat ran down his face and bare chest. Huffing, he collapsed into the messy futon careful not to crush his lover as he did so.

'_This is so wrong,'_ he thought as he felt the stuffy air of his apartment filled his throat and lungs.

"Hmmm," the auburn beauty beneath him purred as she nuzzled up against him.

'_This is so wrong,'_ he thought again as he closed his eyes. Another deep breath filled his lungs with Naru's intoxicating perfume – sakura and cherry. _'Why am I thinking of her?'_

Try as he might, the scruffy man just couldn't get her out of his mind. Ever since he'd first started secretly seeing Narusegawa, he couldn't help but notice that she'd gotten more distant and cool towards him. It didn't help that he was her homeroom teacher and that he saw her virtually every day. Or that there were so many similarities between the auburn beauty currently in his arms and the redheaded young woman he taught. True, the two weren't very much alike physically, but the way that they held themselves in public as well as their personalities and the way that they smiled were very similar.

There'd even been a moment when Naru had been riding him that he'd envisioned that the buxom auburn haired woman had a strawberry blond hair. Perhaps it had been a trick of the light as the setting sun's light hit Naru's auburn locks, or perhaps he really had imagined that Naru had been Asuna; either way it had been disconcerting.

The familiar ding of his cell phone's alarm broke his thoughts, reminding him that he needed to go out on patrol.

"Is it that time already?" Naru playfully groaned.

"Yeah," he sighed, slightly relieved that she had to leave. "I need to get ready for my patrol."

Hearing her sigh, he knew that she had accepted their fate. As co-workers at the girls' junior high school dating was discouraged. Though they had tried to keep their relationship secret word had managed to get out to some of the other teachers. Ranma, Mana, and a handful of others knew, as did the Dean. Officially they weren't a couple and they had to keep their relationship a secret, at least until one of them was transferred to one of the other schools. With the shortage of teachers and instructors they were forced to keep their relationship a secret until either new staff arrived or existing staff was shuffled around. More than likely they'd have to hide things until the summer break.

"Go, shower," Naru ordered before giving him a parting kiss on the lips. "I'll clean up in here before I head out."

Takahata nodded before rolling out of the futon and heading for the shower. He really needed to talk to someone about, well, everything.

X X X X X

The cool evening air felt refreshing to the raven haired man as he flew through the air. A perfectly executed spin kick cut the air before he landed gently on the wooden floor boards. Beads of sweat ran down his brow and over his closed eyes as he once again took to the air. A volley of high speed punches repeatedly punctured the air as he fought an imaginary foe.

This was no kata, no light sparring – this was Ranma going all out against himself as he sought to purge his mind of those images. Though he'd spent two hours sparring before and another hour teaching Haruna the basics of potions brewing, the immortal had plenty of time to himself. First he'd tried to watch some anime, but his mind was just too distracted. Then he resorted to grading papers, but that was even more of a failure than watching anime. Finally he returned to the dojo, hoping to work off the excess energy that was disrupting him.

After nearly two hours of intense sparring with an imaginary opponent, Ranma felt at ease with himself. Only the slight growl of his empty stomach kept him from being at peace with himself.

Though his body ached, he knew that a stomach full of food would make him feel much better.

The scent of fried pork cutlet and freshly made rice drifted into the dojo, making his mouth water. His mind temporarily shorted out as his empty stomach urged him on towards the kitchen, not even bothering to clean the dojo as he normally would have done.

Sniffing at the air he picked up the smell of frying oil mixed in with broccoli, yam, carrots, and shrimp. His mouth watered with each step, forcing him to gulp several times before he finally reached the kitchen.

"Saotome-sempai."

The raven haired man blinked, "Shinobu, what are you doing here?"

"I stopped by to pick up something from my room," she replied. "When I heard you in the dojo I figured that you'd be hungry, so I decided to check your frig for something to make."

Again he swallowed, keeping himself from drooling over the delicious spread she'd laid out for him. Absently he noted the pale blue low cut tee that appeared to be several sizes too small for her voluptuous breasts.

Again he gulped as his mouth watered for another reason. Try as he might he just couldn't pry his eyes away from the gentle curves of her breasts straining against the light cotton material as she leaned forward to pour him a glass of icy cold water.

Only the growling of his protesting stomach saved him as another urge sought to control his body. He found himself seated across the island from Shinobu.

"You must be exhausted," the young woman stated as she again leaned forward to grab his plate.

He could only nod at her, his eyes again drawn to her ample breasts and the generous view her low cut top provided him. "Thanks," he muttered as she again leaned forward to pick up one of the cutlets.

"Tempura?" she asked her eyes on the food between them.

"Yeah."

With expert ease she picked up several pieces tempura, setting one of each type on his plate along with the pork cutlet.

"Um," he heard himself say, "I should wash up first."

The blunette nodded gently, dismissing him from the room.

Ranma was glad that the island stood between them as he rushed out of the kitchen as it hid his very obvious erection. Dashing up the stairs with inhuman speed he made his way into his private bathroom. Just as he turned on the sink he heard the electronic gong of the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Shinobu announced, her gentle voice somehow carrying up two flights of stairs.

Splashing himself with the cool water, Ranma felt a bit of relief. Taking a deep breath, he mentally calmed himself, hoping that his body would follow suit. 'I could always use an illusion,' he thought as he heard Shinobu talking with someone at the front door. 'I probably should if we've got guests.'

After a few minutes he emerged from the bathroom, clean and appearing much older than he usually did.

X X X X X

A gentle smile graced her face as she led the other woman into Ranma's house. It annoyed her to no end that the tall and exotic looking track coach had intruded, disrupting her plans for the evening. Still, with no valid reason to turn the woman away, Shinobu was forced to play the role of charming hostess, a role she'd perfected at the Hinata Sou.

"I had no idea that your duties as his student included cooking for him," the dark skinned woman stated as she followed after the shorter and younger woman.

"We lived together before coming to Mahora," the blunette stated. Guarding her thoughts, Shinobu knew that it was never good to even think some things in the presence of a telepath, even if Ranma didn't think he was that good of one, he was capable of reading strong thoughts. "I guess I'm just used to cooking for him."

X X X X X

"We lived together before coming to Mahora," the blunette stated. "I guess I'm just used to cooking for him."

'_Curious use of words,'_ Mana thought as she forced a pleasant smile onto her face. As a mercenary she'd been forced to play a roll many times before when she was behind enemy lines. Somehow this felt like one of those situations. _'Just what kind of relationship do you have with Ranma?'_ "Had I known that you were cooking for him I wouldn't have bothered picking up some udon on my way here."

X X X X X

An unusual mood hung in the air as Ranma descended the stairs and came back into the kitchen. Despite his history with women chasing after him, the immortal thought little of the fact that Shinobu and Mana were both seated in the kitchen.

The taller of the two wore a simple smile and a skin tight body suit that would have made her disappear in the night. With the light in the kitchen though it was clear to him that she wore nothing beneath the seemingly painted on outfit, making him wonder just how she managed to get into it in the first place.

Suddenly Ranma decided that he just wasn't hungry anymore.

"Mana," he greeted.

"Ranma."

"What brings you here?"

"You suggested that I bring dinner first, next time," she stated. "I figured I'd make good on my end of things."

"Okay," he muttered. "Maybe call me ahead of time next time."

"Ah," the tall woman replied, her smile widening. "So many rules," she teased, ignoring the look that the younger woman shot her. "But you're worth it."

Ranma couldn't help but shudder. It was like being hunted by Shampoo all over again.

Before anyone could say anything the doorbell rang once again.

"I'll get that," the immortal muttered breathlessly, the immensely tense atmosphere pressing down on his chest and lungs.

Like a rat running from a cat, Ranma scuttled out of the kitchen and hallway, rushing to the front door.

"Ranma."

"Takahata!"

Slightly relieved, the raven haired man gestured for the other man to enter.

"Can we talk?" the scruffy man asked.

The immortal opened his mouth to reply then promptly closed it, a slight scowl on his face. "Yeah, sure, come on in."

The scruffy man followed him into the kitchen, relieving the tension in the room. "Sorry ladies," the immortal said, "I've got some business. Thanks for the food and all."

"Tomorrow," Mana said her voice firm and commanding. "Dinner."

"Yeah," Ranma replied, noting the slight look of disappointment in Shinobu's eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt," the scruffy blond stated. "Why don't we meet in an hour?"

"Library Island?" the raven haired man asked.

"Yeah," the blond replied. Turning he backed towards the front door. "I'll see you out."

"Thank you," Mana nodded. Casting one final glance at Ranma she grinned knowingly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Even with Tatsumiya and Takahata gone the mood in the house had changed.

"I'll put everything away," Shinobu insisted.

Ranma nodded.

"You should eat before you go," she suggested.

Again he nodded, taking his plate as he did so. He couldn't help but steal glances at her out of the corner of his eye as she put everything away. For the first time in, well, since he'd known her really, he saw just how beautiful she really was. Her slender waist, strong but shapely legs, and very ample bosom would make most women jealous and would turn the heads of even the most devout and devoted man.

He couldn't help but gasp has the realization hit. Though he'd long complemented her on how pretty she was, he finally realized just how beautiful she was. "You're going to make some lucky man a wonderful wife someday."

"Thank you sempai."

Eating quickly, Ranma cleaned his plate before rushing off for his impromptu meeting with Takahata.

X X X X X

One of the first lessons that Naru Narusegawa had learned in her short time at Mahora was that life in Sakura Lane was never boring. As the primary residence for the junior high school girls who didn't have families in Mahora there were multitudes of minor and major crisis for the three house mothers to deal with. Aside from the usual rivalries between the various floors and years, there were also the rivalries between the different classes in each year, between the various sports teams and groups, and then there were the issues the girls' had that revolved around boys. Yes, life at Sakura Lane was never boring, especially for the dorm mothers.

Saturdays were particularly peaceful for her as most of the clubs took advantage of the shortened school day to meet. Those few girls who weren't involved in clubs or sports often spent the day in the city or went home to visit their families, leaving the dorm virtually empty.

The sound of slight sobbing and hushed speaking didn't surprise the auburn haired dorm mother as she exited the stairwell. Junior high school was when many of the girls (and boys) first started showing signs of interest in the other sex.

"It's alright Makie," one of the girls said.

"Is alright Makie," another girl chimed.

Considering how familiar most of the girls were it didn't surprise her that the students were using each other's given names rather than their family names. But the accent of the second girl immediately cued the dorm mother as to the identities of the three girls – Makie Sasaki and her best friend Ako Izumi, and Ku Fei, Mahora's resident kung fu and fighting champion; all of them belonging to 2-A.

"Yeah, it's not too bad," a third voice added, this one belonging to Konoka Konoe.

"But nationals are right around the corner," Makie pouted. "Coach Tanaka has her hands full with the High School team and most of the other girls have their individual coaches."

"You don't have an individual coach?" a fourth voice asked.

Following the voices, Naru approached the lounge.

"I couldn't afford one," Makie exclaimed. "It's hard enough for me to afford my outfit and the extra training that Coach Miyashita offered me, but with practice and school I don't have time to get a job or two like you have Asuna.

"Even if I had the money who would I get on such short notice? With Coach Miyashita sick all of the other girls are booking extra training with their coaches."

Though she didn't want to interject herself on their conversation, Naru knew that she had to, "Sasaki-san?" she said as she entered the girls' lounge. With a slight nod and smile she greeted the other girls.

"Narusegawa-sensei," the petit girl returned as she wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry to intrude," the older woman stated, "but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. You need help with your rhythmic gymnastics training, right?"

The pinkette nodded.

"Don't tell him I told you this, but you should ask Saotome-sensei," Naru suggested.

"Saotome-sensei?" Asuna asked, her voice a mixture of hesitation and pent up anger.

"He once trained and competed in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics," Naru explained.

Most of the gathered girls adopted a look of total astonishment. Then again, who would have thought that someone like him had both trained and competed in rhythmic gymnastics? Had they known the truth about it though they would have thought it completely unbelievable at best, insane at the worst.

"Saotome-sensei has ribbon like Makie," Ku Fei added as she crossed her arms. "He show me once, he do what Makie do with ribbon. Is better than Makie."

The other girls simply blinked at the foreign girl's statement.

"Oh," a new, energetic voice exclaimed, "are we talking about Uncle Ranma?"

Everyone turned to see 2-A's library trio as they entered the lounge.

"Makie's looking for a temporary coach," Ako replied. "Narusegawa-sensei and Ku Fei think that Saotome-sensei would be a good coach."

Haruna nodded. "He once competed in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, among other things. He once dated the Black Rose."

Naru and most of the other girls blinked.

"The Black Rose?" Makie asked, her voice full of reverence.

The auburn haired woman fought the urge to bury her face in her palms.

"Who's the Black Rose?" Ako asked.

"Kodachi Kuno - she was the Queen of Rhythmic Gymnastics," the pinkette stated. "Until her brother died and her father had a mental breakdown that is. She won the national title two years in a row."

"But suffered a loss to Ranma Saotome," the mousy Nodoka Miyazaki interjected.

Everyone turned to the usually reserved girl. In response the timid girl pulled out a book and held it out for the others to see.

"They changed Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics to just Rhythmic Gymnastics fourteen years ago," Makie sighed. "Not that I'd be any good at Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics."

"This picture shows two girls," Ako stated as she pointed at the picture.

"My aunt," Haruna lied. "She passed away 15 years ago."

"But she has the same name as you uncle," Konoka stated.

"So does my father," Haruna countered.

"I never knew you had an aunt," Asuna interjected.

"I didn't know her," the mangaka stated in a fake, sorrowful tone. "They barely talk about her."

Not wanting to pry into her family's affairs, the other girls simply nodded.

'_No wonder Ranma is so screwed up,'_ Naru thought as she tried to keep silent_. 'Just how much does Haruna know about her uncle anyways?'_

"Anyways," Haruna said as she turned to Makie. "Go see my uncle if you need extra training. I'm sure he'd love to help you out. He's the best at what he does, and he's learned plenty of other styles and techniques. You'll win nationals easily."

Reassured, Makie nodded.

"If he no break you," Ku Fei added.

The other girls eyed the martial arts master.

"What?" the surprised girl asked as she glanced at everyone. "Saotome-sensei is hard master." Pointing at both Narusegawa and at Haruna she stood firm. "You fight with Saotome-sensei, you see how hard he is."

X X X X X

A chill ran down Ranma's spine as an uneasy sense of dread filled him. His nose suddenly prickled before he unexpectedly sneezed.

"Someone's talking about you," his companion joked.

"Yeah," he ceded, shaking his head as he regained his composure. "My ears are burning up too."

The two men stood atop the roof of Library Island's tallest building as the stars began to appear in the sky overhead.

"So," Ranma finally said as he eyed the scruffy blond, "what'd you need to talk about?"

"I think I'm in love."

The words cut into the immortal's heart like nothing he'd ever felt. Though he had accepted that Naru was dating and sleeping with the other teacher, the immortal couldn't help but feel unsettled at the idea of her marrying someone. He wanted her to be happy, to live a normal life, and if, at the end of her life, she wanted to be with him then they could do so with the help of the magic mushrooms, but that would be a bridge crossed in the future if it happened at all. Right now it appeared that she'd be taking her relationship with Takahata to another level.

"This is so wrong," Takahata muttered. "But I think I'm in love with Asuna."

The immortal was literally floored by the other man's words. Carefully, he picked himself off of the roof before glancing up at the blond man. "What?"

"Please, just listen to me," the other man urged.

"Okay," the raven haired man replied, "I think I'm going to need to sit for this."

"Probably," Takahata sighed. "But I need you to swear that no one, and I mean no one, will know what I'm about to tell you."

"I swear," Ranma said as he drew the glyphs for his secrecy pact.

Takahata waited for the glowing light from the glyphs to pass through each of them before sitting down on the ledge. "It all started sixteen years ago. I was merely a trainee under my master then. The magical world was at war, and my master and his companions were in the middle of it.

"That's when I met Asuna Vesperina Theoanasia Entheofushia, the princess of Vespertatia. She was but a girl of four or five at the time. She was the reason the magical world was at war."

"Wait, what?"

"Asuna possesses a unique ability to cancel magic," Takahata explained. "Not all magic, but most. With proper training she can drain magical energy from other magi or magical artifacts. You see how magical communities or countries might be threatened by her."

Ranma nodded.

"In the end, her country was destroyed. My master and his companions vowed to take her away from the magical world, to keep her power from falling into the hands of those who might seek to use her as a weapon. My master and many of his companions died to protect her, and I've inherited that responsibility. I vowed to her that I would keep her safe through any means necessary.

"That's why I erased her memories. That way she won't dream about the magical world or know that a war was fought for her. We also managed to de-age her"

"So that she wouldn't remember anything," Ranma finished. "But"

"It doesn't explain why or how I fell in love with her, or why I'm currently with Naru."

Ranma nodded.

"I've been watching her grow over the past 14 years," he stated. "But lately I've started to see the woman that she's going to be. I didn't realize it at first, but I've been attracted to women who have similar traits as Asuna.

"She's strong, independent, hard-working, driven, and caring, just like Narusegawa."

A pang of regret and understanding welled inside Ranma's chest as he sympathized with the other man.

"But more than anything, they actually have many similar physical characteristics," Takahata added. "They hold themselves the same way, they have the same quirky smile."

Despite his best efforts, Ranma just couldn't endure listening any longer. "Stop," he ordered. "If you don't love Naru, than be honest with her. Tell her you don't love her. You'll save yourself and both of them the anguish and heart ache."

The blond man nodded.

"Asuna's had this crush on you," Ranma added. "She saw you kissing Naru, and she was devastated."

"That's why she's been so distant lately," Takahata muttered.

"Um, yeah, I guess."

"But I… I can't," he said defiantly. "I don't deserve to be happy. I took her away from her family, from her people, and erased all of her memories of the magical world. I don't"

"Maybe not now," Ranma interjected. "But someday, your job will be complete. She's safe right now, and she's happy."

The blond nodded. "Ranma, there's one last thing I need from you."

Despite his own overwhelming and unresolved problems, Ranma just couldn't ignore his friend's plight. "Yeah, you want me to watch over her if something happens to you, right?"

The somber man nodded. "Please, watch over her, take care of her. I… I shouldn't be near her, not now. I've already spoken with the Dean, he's arranged for a new teacher to take over my duties as 2-A's homeroom teacher immediately after the summer break. I'll be transferring to the Boys' High School to take over for Miyuzuki's duties as the science teacher. I know you were eying Toshiba-san's position, but the new teacher replacing me is also going to be teaching English for the junior."

The pair stood in silence as the sky darkened.

"Hey," Ranma finally said, breaking the mood. "What's up with Mana?"

"Tatsumiya?"

Ranma nodded.

"I think she likes you."

The immortal blanched.

"Why?"

"Well," he stalled, "she shot me in the head."

Takahata blinked.

"It was just an illusionary projection of me," Ranma explained. "But, you know, it was still me as far as she was concerned."

The blond smirked. "Hiroshima?"

The raven haired man nodded.

"You wiped her memories about what really happened, right?"

Again he nodded.

"You should have done a better job convincing her of how she used her bullets," Takahata chided. "She's a stickler for expense and really puts a lot of detail and care into her bullets. I wouldn't put it past her to figure things out soon."

Ranma groaned, _'That's all I need right now.'_

"Personally," the blond smirked, "I think you two would make a great couple. From what Ryoga's told me about Akane and what Naru's told me of the time before you two dated you seem to have a thing for the tsundere type. I don't know why, but when you're involved Mana's very kudere. I'm sure your natural charm will melt her icy demeanor eventually."

X X X X X

A/N

That's it for now. Please review.

Later.

Dreamingfox


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Notes –

Thanks for all the reviews. I know that it's been a long road for this fic, and there are transition issues between the last arc and this one, but I hope that those of you who are still here enjoy this fic. Please review.

# # # # #

Normal – conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural; serving to establish a standard.

Unfortunately normal was not a word that those who actually knew Ranma Saotome ever used to describe him. No, the pigtailed martial artist was as abnormal as they came, and that was before he'd been cursed. In a society where being abnormal was frowned upon and where those who weren't normal tended to hide themselves from public view, the very unusual and atypical Ranma Saotome stood out like the nail that begged to be hammered down.

But sometimes being abnormal was a good thing, at least in regards to Ranma. In his relatively short life he'd attracted the attention of a bevy of beautiful women. While most men would have dreamed of being in such a situation, Ranma seemed indifferent at best. It didn't help that many of the women who chased after him could have been institutionalized for their various personality disorders. A normal man in that situation might have moved or at least applied for a restraining order, or if perverse enough sought to try to take advantage of the situation. But not Ranma. No, he had simply bided his time until some sort of resolution could be reached.

With all that had happened Saturday evening most normal people would have been sleepless as they pondered everything that had happened; their minds racing to find an answer or a way to resolve things. But not Ranma Saotome.

Sleep came easily for the pigtailed immortal, even though his dreams were far from normal, at least for him. Had he remembered his dreams he might have thought about them, but for him it was normal to forget his dreams, even the vivid ones that involved his busty apprentice wearing nothing but an apron, or the ones involving a scantily clad woman with dark skin and legs that never stopped.

With his eyes open, all thoughts about the previous evening were pushed to the back of his mind as he prepared for the day ahead.

A yawn filled his lungs with the cool morning air, providing him with the oxygen needed to get his brain and his many finely honed muscles going. The fact that he'd slept in barely registered to him, as did the fact that he'd stayed out late going on patrol with Takahata even though he wasn't expected to go on patrols.

A second and third yawn escaped his lips before he finally rose out of his bed. Having just sparred the previous day and having spent so much time fighting against an imagined enemy, the master martial artist opted to forego his usual morning exercise. Standing up he stretched lightly as he made his way towards the bathroom.

Relieved, he felt a sudden desire to enjoy the onsen. Wearing only his boxers and carrying only a towel, he made his way down to the ground level.

A combination of unusual sleepiness and the slight recollection that there had been guests the previous night (for which Shinobu was supposed to have cleaned up after) explained the fact that some things were out of place, but nothing that warranted any concern on his behalf.

His body moving of its own accord, Ranma pulled off his boxers as he entered the second bathroom on the ground level. King of his domain, he exited the building stark naked, idly tossing the towel onto one of the many hooks that lined the wall.

In the back of his mind he chided himself before recalling that he'd lined the trees on the edge of his property with the magical equivalent of poison oak, preventing anyone from peeping on him. Still, there was that part of his sleepy mind that told him something was off. Instinctively he wrapped the towel around his waist.

It wasn't until he stepped out into the onsen, the fresh air helping to clear his tired mind that he realized that something was definitely out of place.

X X X X X

The cool morning breeze greeted the young woman as she made her way through Mahora. Early morning wake ups were nothing new to the blunette. In her time at the Hinata Sou she'd woken early to cook breakfast for the other residents, and once she'd started taking lessons from Ranma she'd forced herself to wake even earlier so that she could spar with him in the mornings before making breakfast.

A self-described morning person, Shinobu Maehara thought little of waking up early, even on a Sunday morning. She knew that sleeping in that one day a week was nice, but it threw off her daily regimen. Even with a full day free of classes and club activities, she knew that she couldn't sit idly, especially not with that minx of a track coach making plans with her sensei.

No, she was determined to make a move or at least leave Ranma with a lasting impression before Mana had the chance. It was only bad timing that had allowed the other woman to intrude on the intimate dinner that the blunette had planned for herself and Ranma.

Fighting back her anger and disappointment, Shinobu smiled as her eyes locked on the now familiar three story building. The several short evergreen bushes formed a meter tall hedge that separated the compound from the street and sidewalk with a stone pathway leading to the imposing front door.

'_It's still early,'_ she thought as she set foot on the first of the stones, _'he's probably in the middle of one of his morning exercises.'_

"Shinobu-sempai!" a gentle voice greeted.

The blunette turned around instinctively, setting her eyes on six figures that rapidly approached her.

"Haruna," she greeted a warm smile on her lips as she greeted Ranma's niece. "How many times do I have to tell you to just call me Shinobu?"

"Sorry," the energetic girl replied.

Though she technically was the other girl's mentor, the blunette couldn't help but relax around the younger girl. She'd known her for nearly as long as she'd known Ranma, though in truth she'd spent much more time with Haruna in the past few years than she actually did with her sensei as the two girls had spent significant time together during the summer and holidays at _Saotome's Grill_ working under Haruna's mother.

"You're back for more?" Haruna teased. The mangaka was far smarter than most gave her credit for, and she clearly knew that the older girl had a crush on her uncle, a crush that Haruna seemed to support.

"Well, I don't have much else to do today," Shinobu replied.

Before either could say anything more one of the mangaka's companions tugged at Haruna's elbow.

"Oh, where are my manners," she chided herself playfully. "These are my classmates – Asuna Kagurasaka" the strawberry blond nodded "Konoka Konoe" the chocolate brunette smiled "Ako Izumi" the grey haired girl nodded "and Maki Sasaki" the pinkette blushed as she nodded.

"Nice to meet you," the older girl smiled. "What brings you all here?"

"Well, Uncle usually spars in the morning, so I was hoping to see if he'd help oversee Makie's training," Haruna explained.

Shinobu eyed the girls, each of them wearing casual outfits as they were out of school. Asuna wore a heavier, longer skirt and a light blouse that did little to hide her figure. The way she stood suggested that she'd had some training, but not much. Konoe held herself like a typical civilian but radiated a calm and confidence that the other girls lacked. Ako and Makie stood timidly, but the later appeared to have some grace and held herself with a rigid posture that suggested gymnastics training.

"I know that Uncle had you assess and train me first," Haruna added, "but Makie's already gotten some training. She just needs someone to help her train for nationals."

"Oh," Shinobu exclaimed. She'd heard of his exploits in the ring but couldn't see in a leotard. Leading the girls to the front door, Shinobu opened the door. Not hearing anything from the dojo she assumed that he was still asleep. "He's probably still asleep – he did have a late night with Takahata-sensei.

"Have you girls bathed yet?"

The girls shook their heads.

"There's this great onsen out back," Haruna grinned.

As the young mangaka led her classmates out to the onsen Shinobu ducked into the kitchen, checking to see if Ranma might have gone there first. Seeing nothing she headed back into the onsen.

"Wow!" the chocolate haired girl exclaimed. "It's huge!"

"It's a replica of the onsen we had at the Hinata Sou," Shinobu explained. "But we had a bamboo fence there. The trees mark the end of the property, and the way that the yard slopes down in back we're a story up from the ground, making it hard for anyone to sneak a peek. Someone would have to climb at least over halfway up the tree to even bee at eye level with us."

Reassured, the girls stripped off the last of their clothes before slipping into the steaming hot water.

"So this is why you come here every day," Asuna purred as she lowered herself into a comfortable position.

"It makes the work out so worth it," Haruna grinned.

"You're sure that Saotome-sensei won't come in here?" a nervous Makie asked.

"Just keep your towel with you," Konoe suggested.

Tentatively the pinkette pulled her towel towards her, leaving it on the ledge within reach.

"This feels so nice," Makie sighed. "Even better than the baths we have in the dorms."

"That's because it's an onsen," Konoe sighed. "There's just something about the open air and the hot water that makes it magnificent."

The soothing, hot water eased her mind as she lowered herself into the water.

"My," Konoe said as she turned on the blunette, "I those are really magnificent."

"It must be nice being so grown up," Haruna teased. "I bet you get all the boy's attention."

"They look so nice and big," Konoe added as she sat beside the blunette. "Can I feel them?"

"Sure." Having grown up at the Hinata Sou, Shinobu had experienced similar situations before. The fact that the onsen was virtually an exact copy of the onsen at the Sou made her all the more comfortable with the prospect of the younger girls' inquisitive hands.

"Wow," the chocolate haired girl exclaimed. "Asuna, you have to feel them. They're so firm and soft!"

"Let me," Makie interjected as she waded over.

"Gah!"

The girls looked up at the sudden outcry.

"Pervert!" Asuna cried out as she moved to shield Konoe and the other girls. "Ranma?"

X X X X X

The sight of several younger girls groping Shinobu's breasts quickly struck home in the sleepy haze that was Ranma Saotome's brain. Part of him argued that he was still dreaming, but another part of him wondered just why he was envisioning several girls from 2-A.

"Pervert!" the strawberry blond cried out automatically. It wasn't until she actually set eyes on him that she called out to him. "Ranma?"

Ranma simply blinked, his mind still undecided as to if what he was seeing was part of a dream or reality.

Though his mind was still muddled, part of his sub-consciousness chose to etch the scene into his memory even as it slowly ceded to the argument that this was not a dream and was in fact reality.

The raven haired youth blinked. "Asuna? Haruna?"

Shielded as they were by the very naked Shinobu, the other girls peered around the taller woman, their towels clutched to their still developing breasts.

Realization hit the dazed immortal, prompting him to immediately cover his eyes with his hand, only to drop his towel as a result. Dashing from the onsen he quickly grabbed his boxers from the changing room/bathroom.

'_Shit, I didn't have my illusions up,'_ he chided himself as he quickly dressed. _'Not good.'_

X X X X X

The girls sat in the hot water, many with their wet towels clutched to their bodies in a show of feminine modesty. Only Shinobu stood before them, stark naked as she shielded the younger girls. Even the blunette wasn't sure what to make of what happened, overpowered as it was by the vision of the man she loved standing naked before her. The momentary glimpse of his excited manhood emblazoned in her mind's eye.

But with Ranma gone she slowly turned around to see to the younger girls. The looks on their faces told her all she needed to about what they did or didn't see. Asuna, Konoe and Makie each had a deep blush on their face while Ako had only a light blush. Haruna simply scowled.

"I didn't know Ranma was here," Asuna muttered.

Makie blinked. "That wasn't Saotome-sensei."

The chocolate haired girl shook her head, "He has a son named Ranma."

The grey haired girl glanced from Asuna to Konoe, "Isn't he the guy in those pictures with Asuna?"

"You mean he's Asuna's mysterious boyfriend?" Makie exclaimed.

"Yeah," Haruna sighed. "Baka Red has a thing for my baka cousin."

Shinobu's mind quickly processed everything. "No wonder Saotome-sensei was out late last night, he was probably looking for Ranma." Hopefully the girls would by the lie.

"You didn't know he was here?" Asuna asked as she turned to Haruna.

The mangaka shook her head. "He wasn't here when we were sparring yesterday."

Shinobu nodded. "It was you, me, Narusegawa, and Luke along with Sensei. He didn't say anything about Ranma coming to see him this weekend."

"I think he saw more than he expected to see," Konoe giggled.

"But why'd he run?" Makie queried.

"Like his father, he's been surrounded with heavy handed women," Haruna stated. "He tends to find himself in these situations more than he'd like. Despite her assets, Shinobu's a formidable fighter, and even he wouldn't want to mess with a woman filled with righteous fury."

The other girls joined in the giggling, easing the mood.

"I'll go check on Ranma. Why don't you girls keep your towels nearby just in case," the blunette suggested.

Reassured, the younger girls nodded, clutching their towels to their breasts as Shinobu exited the steaming hot water.

X X X X X

The sound of his heart pounding in his chest filled his ears. The slow, deep thuds echoed in his head. Try as he might, he just couldn't get the image of his naked and buxom student being groped by the younger girls out of his mind.

"Ranma?"

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind. "Sorry about that," he muttered. Slowly he turned to face her. The sight of the damp towel clinging to her bosom erased the previous vision that had been etched into his mind. Though he'd seen her naked before he couldn't help but wish that the towel shifted just a bit so that it revealed more of her creamy white skin.

"Illusion," she whispered as she approached him, her warm breath caressing his ear.

He gulped then nodded. Grabbing his clothes he quickly dressed, heedless of the fact that Shinobu was standing before him. Taking a deep breath he activated the enchantments woven into his clothes.

"We'll tell them that he was startled. Go check on the girls," he instructed. "I'll take care of Ranma."

The blunette nodded, her sweet smile warming his face as though it were the sun.

He couldn't help but hope that perhaps the wet towel about her slender body might slip just a bit to reveal more of her bare skin. Shaking his head, he rushed up to his room. He'd initially thought of creating a shadow clone like the annoying yet entertaining title character from that ninja manga, but he'd yet to master that technique to the point where his clone could maintain itself for longer than ten minutes.

'_Ten minutes,'_ he thought, _'there won't be enough time for that.'_

Sighing, he opted for his backup plan. Though he hated having to resort to something like this, he knew that he'd need to use it. Dispelling the magic over the hidden closet he opened the door. The cool, humid air of the air held a tall, clear cylindrical container. Wiping the accumulated frost from the reinforced glass he eyed his reflection. Pressing his hand against the chilly control panel he let the machine scan his fingers.

"Identity confirmed," a familiar voice proclaimed. Ranma couldn't help but smirk at how eerily similar the voice was to the machine's creator. Su had always had a talent with machines, and while the gynoid in 2-A was impressive, it was nothing compared to the cybernetic being that Su had once pitted against him. "Ranma Saotome, do you wish to release Mecha-Ranma?"

"Yes," he sighed. The cyborg was good, nearly as good as he was, and it healed. And it looked just like him. Then again, Su had taken some of his skin and blood to grow the skin for the cyborg. His own personal T-800. "Protocols Prodigal Son – upload memory batch ten."

"Please enter security code," Su's voice called out.

Ranma quickly entered the eleven digit code into the control panel. Leave it to Su to somehow turn video of him fighting and of various events into actual memories for the artificial him.

The slow hiss of the automated door opening was prelude only to the slow fog that escaped the chamber. The swift download should have the cyborg up and running.

"Yo," the mechanical clone greeted. Striking blue eyes locked with the original's.

"I need you to pretend to be the younger me," Ranma instructed. "And to keep things from getting too confusing I'm going to refer to you as Ranma Tenma Saotome."

"Sure," the other Ranma replied cheerfully. "Um."

"Yeah?"

"Do I have to wear the same clothes you're wearing?"

Ranma blinked, astounded by his clone's audacity and insight. "Second floor, second room, there's some of my non-magical clothes."

The cybernetic Ranma nodded, retreating from the room.

He could hear his clone's footsteps as he rushed down the stairs and into the spare bedroom.

The immortal martial artist just couldn't help but rub his sore forehead. "This is definitely not normal."

X X X X X

The striking contrast between steaming hot water and the cool morning air felt wondrous against her pale white skin. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips as she gazed at the sparkle of shimmering water as the artificial sun shone against the crystal clear water.

"How long are you going to dawdled in there?" a slightly impatient voice demanded.

The petit redhead bowed her head. "My apologies mistress, I had not realized how much time passed."

The buxom blond scowled. "We're definitely getting you a watch when we get out of here."

"Yes mistress."

"And we're definitely going to have to get you some clothes for this new body of yours."

"Yes mistress."

"Well, hurry up and dry off!"

Obediently the redheaded girl exited the bath.

"Have you gotten used to your new body yet?" Eva demanded.

"I have gotten used to it," Chachamaru stated. "But it is a bit… ungainly."

"Ungainly?" the blond repeated, her brow raising curiously as she looked down on the redhead.

"Proportionately my breasts are too large for my height and waistline," the redhead answered.

"But how does it feel?" Eva asked.

Chachamaru blinked, then looked down at her bare breasts. Her tiny hands groped her breasts, squeezing them and sending an unexpected thrill through her body. "Excellent," she replied, unaware of the slight blush that now graced her soft features.

"Not your breasts," the vampire snapped. "How does your body feel?"

"Softer, more flexible," she replied. "Not as sturdy as my inorganic body, but just as strong."

The blond vixen nodded. "Good. Take the rest of the day here to relax. We'll continue training once Shinobu joins us."

"Yes mistress."

X X X X X

A feeling of unease and slight embarrassment filled the kitchen as Ranma, Tenma, Shinobu, Asuna, Konoe, Ako, and Makie enjoyed a light breakfast.

As Ranma's first student the blunette had thought that she would have been included on his decision as to how he was going to deceive the girls. But seeing the two Saotomes had been unnerving. Though she had a few ideas as to how he'd managed the trick, Shinobu was still uncertain as to why he was doing it or how he was doing it.

"Wow," the chocolate haired girl exclaimed as she savored the last bite of her okonomiyaki style omelet, "that was delicious."

The grey haired girl nodded her agreement. "I never knew you could cook like that Haruna."

Even the strawberry blond had to nod in agreement. "I guess I never realized your skill as a cook."

"Thanks," the mangaka smirked.

"She's just full of surprises," the younger Saotome stated with a slight grin.

Ranma simply eyed the kids gathered in his kitchen. Though most of them were in the same class they were a mixed group. "So what brings you here?"

Shinobu eyed the girls before setting her sights on the pinkette, allowing Ranma to see just who the others had come to support. With her sensei's eye's locked on the girl Shinobu nodded subtly.

"Um, I was wondering," Makie muttered timidly as she wilted under his steady gaze, "since Tanaka-sempai is sick, could you help supervise my training?"

"Tanaka, the rhythmic gymnastics coach?" the older Saotome muttered as he rubbed his chin. "You want me to coach you?"

The younger Saotome couldn't help but break out laughing, drawing the attention of the other girls.

"Shut it you," Ranma growled as he smacked his 'son' over the head. "Just for that you're going to be the one overseeing her training."

All heads turned towards Ranma at his proclamation. "Just kidding," the older Saotome smirked. "I'd never leave an amateur like you to instruct someone."

The pinkette let out a sigh of relief, though the redhead and her chocolate haired roommate shot their sensei with a pair of scathing glares.

"You think I'm not good enough?" Tenma demanded as he stood eye to eye with his father.

The real Ranma smirked as he looked down at his mechanical clone. "I've yet to see you do anything to disprove me."

The two Saotomes stood mere centimeters away from each other, their striking blue eyes glued to each other.

"Asuna," Tenma muttered, slowly turning away from the original's eyes.

"Yes."

"You look like you've had some instruction in the art," the fake Saotome stated.

"Kinda," Asuna replied. "Takahata-sensei used to show me how to handle myself, but that was years ago."

"You're going to train her so that she's better than Makie?" the older Saotome asked, clearly amused by the insinuation.

"Not better," Tenma ceded, "but she'll be good enough to beat Makie in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics."

"Idiot," Ranma sniped, "Makie's not going to have the time to train for a fight - she's got Nationals coming up."

"I guess my dad raised me to be an idiot," Tenma snipped back. "But give me a month and Asuna will be good enough to hold her own against you for two minutes."

Ranma eyed his son dubiously, "Two minutes? Against me?"

The other Ranma nodded.

'_He's lost in the thrill of the challenge,'_ Shinobu thought as she watched the two Ranmas interacting. _'It's got to be Su's Mecha-Ranma, but it looks like it's been upgraded.'_

"You're going to need more time than a month," Ranma said with a smirk. "If Asuna can land a blow against me on the last day of the summer break than I'll admit that you're not completely talentless."

"Anything goes?" Tenma asked.

"Anything goes."

X X X X X

Pain – physical suffering or distress; a distressing sensation in a particular part of the body. Pain, it was what the gynoid turned human was feeling as she sparred against the buxom blunette. The unusual sensation was not limited only to her forearm as she blocked the flying, spinning ax kick that the taller woman had delivered, it filled her ribs where a previous kick had connected, as well as in her stomach where a swift knuckled punch had pierced her defenses.

After a week of spending each night training Chachamaru was slowly getting used to her cursed body. Though she'd initially thought it frail and weak, the gynoid turned human had to admit that it was exceeding her expectations. Pain lanced through her body each time she blocked or a blow landed, yet considering how badly things had gone in their previous sparring matches the two blows she'd taken thus far was a vast improvement to the beating she'd endured a week ago.

"If you don't want to get hurt," Shinobu grunted as she kicked off of the smaller girl and flew through the air, "don't get hit. Blocking simply slows you down. Keep moving, use your speed to your advantage."

Chachamaru nodded as she rubbed her sore forearm.

"And don't acknowledge any pain," the blunette shouted as she rushed in, taking advantage of the other girl's momentary lapse of defense to land a stiff punch to the stomach.

"Enough!" a harsh voice cried out.

Both girls immediately turned to face the imposing vampire as she looked down on their training session.

"Yes Mistress," both girls replied sharply as they offered a slight bow to the busty woman.

"Chachamaru, tend to your injuries," Evangeline ordered.

"Yes Mistress."

"Shinobu," the vampire said her voice icy cold as she focused on the blunette, "a word if you would."

The young woman quickly complied, walking up to the immortal woman.

"You seem agitated," the blond stated. "How did breakfast go?"

"I'm not allowed to talk about it," Shinobu stated.

Eva raised her brow at the other woman. "Dojo business?"

Shinobu stood silently.

"Too bad," the immortal sighed. "I was hoping to get the juicy details."

The blunette blushed despite herself.

"What are you going to do about Mana?"

"I've decided that it's best if I don't interfere with their date," the blunette stated.

"Are you sure?" Eva asked as she tried to push the subject. "Tatsumiya can be pretty tenacious. It's been a while since she's had a man in her sights, but she usually gets her man."

"She won't get Ranma," Shinobu snapped. "Sorry."

"No apologies necessary," the vampire said with a sadistic smirk. "I just hope you're not wrong."

"I am."

The two locked eyes for a moment, golden eyes locking with dark brown ones, as the two women tried to read each other's expressions.

"I finally have the information on the spring," Shinobu stated as she sought to change the direction of their conversation. "It seems that after the war in China the Kanto MA did their best to get any and all information on Jusenkyo."

"Oh?"

"That particular spring wasn't used by the Musk for a reason," the blunette explained.

"Didn't they want an attractive wife?"

"There's a reason why they used the other springs," Shinobu stated. "The traits of the beast that they captured and turned into a woman would only be passed on if the woman could conceive a child."

The immortal nodded as she made the connection.

"The tale of the girl who drowned herself in that spring is very tragic indeed," the blunette added. "She'd been chosen to be the bride to a local lord, but they discovered that she wasn't able to have children, thus voiding her engagement to the man she loved. Rejected by her family as well as his, she drowned herself."

The vampire stood still, soaking in the information. "That information's useless to me."

"Perhaps," the blunette ceded. "But it's information we didn't have yesterday."

The vampire eyed the human girl, unsure what to make of her. "Do what you will. Just make sure that it doesn't interfere with my plans."

X X X X X

A forceful throbbing made it hard for the original Ranma to keep his thoughts together. How else was he to explain the odd sequence of events that had transpired as he and his cyborg clone/son? _'Maybe the T-800 was better than Su had advertised,'_ he thought as he oversaw Makie's training. Shaking his head he signed. _'No, can't think about that right now, I have to focus on helping Makie with her training.'_

"How was that?" the pinkette asked as she finished her routine.

"Good," he replied. "You're flexible, and you know the basics of each move, but you need to string things together better."

The timid girl slowly shifted her gaze down to the floor, accepting his criticism.

"But your greatest weakness is your lack of confidence," he added. "Kodachi, crazy as she was, never let anything get her down."

The simple mention of the Black Rose was enough to get her to focus again on the task at hand. Looking up at him, her eyes sparkling with resolve, she nodded.

After watching her complete six different routines he now had a good idea of what she was capable off. Even as distracted as he was he'd been able to perfectly repeat her routines. If not the fact that Tenma and Asuna were using the other half of the dojo things would have gone faster.

"You're good with the ribbon, but you're going to need to be just as good with the ball, hoop, and batons," Tenma stated. Though he was supposed to be focused on his own probationary student the cybernetic Saotome couldn't help but interject his advice. "Be versatile and flexible with your tools as well as with your body."

The pinkette nodded appreciatively even as the strawberry blond scowled, annoyed at the fact that her crush and instructor was paying attention to another girl.

Ranma simply waved the other Saotome's advice off. "Your routines are solid," he explained, "but if you want to impress you're going to have to do something beyond the basics, something out of the ordinary and memorable. The judges will focus on leaps, balance, pirouettes, flexibility, handling and control of your apparatus, execution, and artistic effect. Right now you have excellent control of the ribbon and nearly perfect execution. You're flexible, but nothing overly impressive, and your execution of pirouettes is weak, especially when combining it with your leaps. Your balance is just slightly off, which might affect your leaps and pirouettes… Tell me, have you notice if your breasts have gotten bigger lately?"

The pinkette's face turned a deep shade of red.

"It's completely natural," Ranma stated as he tried to empathize with the young girl. "Your body's changing, and your, um, breasts are throwing off your center of gravity, that's why your pivots, leaps, and especially your balance are off. You just have to get used to them."

"But what if they keep growing?" the soft spoken Ako asked.

"Practice," he stated. "Practice makes perfect. You're going to have to push yourself constantly to get used to your new center of gravity."

Makie nodded.

"Tenma," he called out, glad that the boy was around still. "Sorry to cut your time short, but I need you and the others to get the mats out."

"Why?" the younger Saotome demanded.

"I'm going to teach Makie Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics."

The girls gaped at his proclamation.

"Pain is a great motivator," Ranma stated. "Each time you screw up I'm going try and hit you with a ball or ribbon."

"That… that's child abuse!" Asuna proclaimed.

Tenma shook his head, "Not if she agrees to it."

The strawberry blond turned on her instructor and crush, her mouth agape as she tried to find the words to shout at him.

"The life of a martial artist is wrought with peril," Ranma stated. "That's why I'm teaching you Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. You've got all the basics down, but you need to execute properly. The quickest way to correct your form is to motivate you with the threat of pain."

"That's just wrong!" the fiery redhead shouted aloud.

"I'm offering her further instruction," Ranma stated. "You don't have to accept it if you don't want to."

"But if you want to improve you're going to have to make some sacrifices," Tenma added as he approached Makie. "We've made sacrifices to get to where we're at in our art, are you willing to do the same?"

He could sense her hesitation. It wasn't an easy choice to make after all, but at least it was a decision she'd make for herself. Growing up under Genma's care he'd never had that choice, and neither did Tenma, but he would not force anyone who didn't agree to that life to undergo it. Just as Konatsu and Ukyo had allowed Haruna to choose, Ranma was allowing Makie to decide.

"I'll do it."

Ranma nodded grimly. "It's not going to be easy, and you don't have a lot of time until Nationals. And while I may not be your homeroom teacher, I'm sure Takahata won't like it if your grades drop while you're training."

Makie nodded.

"So you'll have to come here every day after classes," he sighed. "Man, there goes my free time."

Tenma grinned at his father's predicament.

"And you," the older Saotome turned to Asuna, "your grades can't slip while you're training either. If they do than you" he glanced at Tenma "lose."

The younger Saotome's mood soured at the additional clause in their challenge.

"Oh, and since you're not recognized as a full instructor," Ranma added, "you'll help the girls with their stretches before and after each training session."

"What?" Tenma exclaimed in protest.

Ranma locked eyes with his 'son'. "Maybe you're right," he ceded. "I guess I really shouldn't trust a hormonal boy around such attractive young women."

"Hey!" the hotheaded boy shouted in protest.

"No," Asuna cried out, "I trust him."

For a moment Ranma had completely forgotten that Tenma was a cyborg. Seeing Tenma reacting the way he was it almost seemed as though the fake really was his son. And the strange mixture of pride and amusement that the immortal felt as he teased Tenma, well, it almost felt as though he really was the cyborg's father. _'Technically I am.'_

A slight smile appeared on his face as he contemplated what he was going to do with Tenma. "I can trust you to not molest them?" he teased.

Tenma scowled back at him. "I'm not a pervert!" he hissed.

"Fine," Ranma replied. "You'll help them stretch since I may have to stay late after classes with my other duties, and help them stretch and cool down after practice."

The cyborg nodded, accepting his new responsibilities.

"Oh, and you'll have to give Makie a massage after training," Ranma added. "She'll need to the help for the first week at least. It's up to you to decide if Asuna needs it or not after your training sessions."

X X X X X

The flow of time stops for no one, not even an immortal. It was one of the first things that Shinobu had learned in her time under Ranma's tutelage. Though he appeared to be young and immature, the master martial artist was in fact one of the most mature people the blunette knew. Sure, there were moments where he was carefree and relaxed, but more often than not he held himself with an air of somber thoughtfulness.

The only one's he'd allowed to actually see him with his guard down had been Keitaro, Motoko, Naru, Ryoga, Konatsu, and Ukyo. Though not all of them were Ranma's equal as a martial artist, they each had earned the distinction of being Ranma's friend and peer, and thus an equal. It was a select group that Shinobu so desperately wanted to belong.

The furious barrage of punches she threw were nowhere near as fast as what Ranma could throw, but it was as hard and fast as the blunette could manage. One, two, three, four punches slipped through the gynoid turned human's guard, proof of her speed and accuracy. Though the busty redhead grunted with each impact Shinobu wasn't satisfied. Had she been fighting Ranma he wouldn't have let any of the punches through and would have tagged her with at least twice as many blows as she'd landed against Chachamaru. Had he been fighting he would have dazed the gynoid with the first blow, allowing the rest of his punches to connect uncontested and then ending the fight.

"Enough!"

Shinobu pulled back, ending her seemingly relentless barrage of blindingly quick punches even as Chachamaru fought to stay upright.

"You're particularly aggressive today," the blond vixen stated as she watched their sparring session end. "You've steadily been pushing forward with each attack, landing significantly more hits than Chachamaru with each exchange."

Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, Shinobu nodded. After spending nearly a week in the magical castle/jar continuously training she'd had plenty of time to think about Ranma's impending date with Tatsumiya-sensei.

"Are you sure you don't want to interrupt their date?" Eva teased.

Shinobu shook her head.

"Well, if you don't want to, than make sure that you're not breaking Chachamaru." Eva's golden eyes locked with her brown ones as the vampire radiated power. Having just fed on the canine turned Asura the vampire was significantly more powerful than usual.

Unflinching, Shinobu held her ground, staring definitely at the vampire.

"I realize that Chachamaru has significant technical flaws," Eva relented, "in both her human and mechanical bodies, but she's here to learn how to fight better, not to be your punching bag. She's still adapting to her body, let her get used to the feel of how it moves and reacts."

"I am," the blunette stated. "The problem isn't that she's slow or that her body is weak; it's because she's still seeing her body as a completely new experience. You don't see her face every time I hit her, even if it is a blocked strike; she's excited. Each time I touch her she seems to have this thrill run through her body as her mind registers the sensations."

The vampire raised a single brow as she processed the young martial artist's assessment.

"She needs to get over being human," Shinobu suggested. "Or at least focus on her fighting technique. I told you before, if she's going to develop this body she's going to have to start from the beginning in both her bodies. That way she can compare her notes on both bodies and how she progresses."

The vampire stood silently, pondering the facts presented to her.

"We've spent the last four days sparring continuously," the blunette added. "We both need a break from the fighting to recharge ourselves and to rest."

She could tell that the vampire was seriously considering her words. Still, the proud blond won't relent so quickly.

"One hour more then we break for dinner," Eva declared. "But this time, you're both going to be facing me!"

Both the blunette and redhead watched as the buxom blond leapt into the air from the balcony overlooking the courtyard. The feel of the vampire's immense power sent a chill down both girls' spine as they glanced at each other, then at the now descending blond. Good as they were, both knew that they were in for a serious fight.

X X X X X

"Hey Pops!"

Try as he might, Ranma just couldn't get used to how irritating his own voice sounded when it wasn't coming from his own mouth. It really was disconcerting. It didn't help that the speaker was his fake son/clone or that Tenma apparently acted very much like how the original would have acted were he actually in that position.

Ignoring fact that Tenma was so very informal, Ranma signaled for the lithe Makie to continue her routine before he turned to face his son, "Yeah?"

"Isn't it time for your date?" the younger Saotome teased.

'_Shit, I'd forgotten about that,'_ the original thought as he instinctively glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Okay, practice is over."

A relieved sigh escaped each of the young girls present as they looked ready to collapse. "That doesn't mean that training's over," he added. "Tenma, take them out for a cool down lap around the property."

Though it was only Asuna, Haruna, and Makie left, they had clearly been pushed beyond anything they had expected. After helping to set up the mats Ako and Konoe had been chased out as Ranma made it clear that only students of the dojo could actually use the dojo or view the training sessions as Ranma took being the master of his own dojo very seriously.

Free of the other girls Ranma and Tenma had been able to push the girls as hard as was necessary to help them excel, just as Genma had done to Ranma all those years ago. Any casual observer might have thought that the two Saotomes were beating the girls relentlessly and mercilessly, but in truth Ranma felt that they'd taken it very easy on the girls, even if it was their first time in his dojo.

Exhausted as they were, they had only reached that point after several hours of intense training. It was a testament to their resolve that they had not questioned either Saotome the entire time after Konoe and Ako left. Still, they had a long ways to go before they could even begin to use their full potential.

"Don't forget to massage them before they use the onsen," Ranma teased, making the cyborg blush slightly.

X X X X X

"You've improved."

In the short time that she'd known the Shinma vampire Shinobu Maehara had rarely heard her complement anyone but herself. Yet despite the rarity of such a feat the blunette couldn't help but feel that the praise was unjustified. "No, I haven't," she replied, shaking but not startling the platinum blond vixen.

For a moment Shinobu sipped at her peach green tea, savoring the taste even as the heat from the steaming water erased some of the ached in her exhausted body.

"I've improved just a bit," she admitted, "but not enough where I should be able to beat Chachamaru's true body so easily. She's still capable of being faster and stronger than me, but her coordination and reflexes should surpass mine."

"So why are you able to press her as you have?" Eva asked, a strange mixture of a frown and smile on her curled lips.

"She's distracted," the blunette replied. "She's so preoccupied with the concept of being human and all the sensations involved that when she's in her true body she's too busy trying to compare the feelings she experiences as a human to that of her gynoid body. And because her memories as a human aren't backed up in silicone or whatever it's hard for her to actually compare the two."

The platinum blonde's head bobbed slightly. "Very insightful."

Shinobu nodded. "You never thought about it that way, did you?"

Eva smiled, a wicked gleam in her eyes, "No, I hadn't."

The blunette returned her attention to her cup of tea, taking another sip and sighing in contentment as she savored the hot brew.

"What do you propose we do about her?" the vampire asked, uncertainty in her voice.

Setting her cup down Shinobu eyed her reflection before turning her eyes back to the vampire across the table from her. "Talk to Hakase and see if she can adjust Chachamaru's body so that she appears more like her human form."

"Why would I do that?"

Sitting up straight, Shinobu held Eva's gaze. "It'll be easier for everyone to accept her curse if her bodies resemble each other."

"So?"

"It'll also make it easier for her to accept the transition between the two bodies and the strengths and weaknesses of both of them."

Eva shook her head. "I don't agree. I think it's best that her two forms are different. That way she can utilize her human body to escape notice when someone might be looking for her gynoid body. She'll need to learn to compensate for the differences in each body rather than trying to make them both similar."

The look in her golden eyes told Shinobu that the discussion was over. Not one to push the powerful predator, the blunette nodded, backing down. She'd have other opportunities in the future to share her opinion, and not all of her ideas would be accepted, but at least she knew that Eva did listen to her.

X X X X X

Try as he might, Ranma couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. He'd faced men who could sunder five metric ton boulders with their fingers, women who could create tornadoes with their fists, literal monsters of legend, indomitable gods, and Akane Tendo's cooking. And yet the prospect of having dinner with Mana seemed to actually intimidate him, if only slightly.

Outwardly he exuded confidence and calm as he stood calmly in the kitchen waiting for Mana to ring the doorbell.

The slow ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway as it counted down the seconds and minutes though seemed to say otherwise as the dreaded hour neared.

Long, deep breaths and powerful, prolonged heart beats reached his overly sensitive ears as he waited.

Having sent Tenma to escort the girls back to their dorm, Ranma was completely alone. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, but the more time he had to think about, well, all that had happened between himself and Mana he couldn't help but wonder if dinner with her had been a bad idea or not.

"Ah!" he screamed out in frustration. "I can't take it!"

Grabbing his keys he dashed for the door. Suddenly his heart nearly skipped a beat.

"Oh," echoed through the threshold as the Ambassador and the Mercenary stood only a few centimeters apart.

The two stood there for a moment, neither sure what to do or say.

"Come on in," Ranma found himself saying as his manners won over his urge to bolt.

"Thanks."

Taking a step back he allowed her into his abode. Like a professional she wore no perfume. Initially he caught no scent from her at all, suggesting that she was using a mixture that helped to hide her scent, just like the potion he'd learned to brew from that recipe he'd stolen from Library Island.

An uncomfortable tension filled the hallway as they exchanged a hesitant glance, each recalling their last encounter in the hallway.

"I'll be honest," Tatsumiya said in a calm and cool voice, "you intrigue me."

He hadn't expected that approach. Slightly taken back, Ranma was glad he didn't open his mouth to reply.

"You're sort of handsome," she added. "Not really my type physically really, yet something about you peaks my curiosity."

"Okay."

"Narusegawa suggested that I be honest with you," the dark skinned woman stated. "That if I wanted your trust I'd have to be honest with you."

"Okay," he replied, still unsure what else to say to her even as she looked at him expectantly. "No dinner?"

The sharpshooter paused. "I brought it last night."

"Right, but I was already having dinner," he stated as he returned her expectant look with his own. "Why don't we go to the Chinese shop by Library Island?"

"Why?" she replied. "If we're to trade secrets here would be best. Your property is secure, there aren't any who might overhear us, and we need not be overly discrete."

The raven haired man shook his head. "You're missing the point," he sighed. "Trust isn't given easily. Why don't we start with just being friends?"

"With benefits?"

Ranma nearly fell at her remark. Gazing into her deep brown eyes it was clear she wasn't joking.

"Not just yet," he muttered. "First we become friends."

A curl of her lip seemed to acknowledge his response. "I had you, didn't I?"

The master martial artist blinked. "Y-you were joking?"

Her smile broadened, "Of course. Why would I want to be friends with benefits with someone who is only mildly handsome?"

A slight mischievous gleam appeared in the immortal's eyes. "Hey, I'll have you know that I'm out of your league."

X X X X X

Sunday, it was a day that was supposed to be restful and relaxing. Unfortunately few things worked the way they were supposed to in Mahora. As one of the dorm mothers for Sakura Lane, Naru Narusegawa had quickly learned that Sundays were the most hectic day of the week. Free of their usual daily responsibilities and schedules the girls were prone to do anything and everything. Yes, there were a good number that held jobs and who were busy working, but a vast majority of the girls were intent on making the most of the limited free-time that they had. While there were a few girls who simply lounged in their rooms or in the common room, most were running in and out of their own room or rooms of their friends as they prepared for whatever adventures they had set up for the day. The sheer number of girls going in and out of the dorms kept the busty dorm mother from realizing that Ako Izumi and Konoe Konoka had returned without their close friends and roommates.

As the golden red light of the setting sun turned the hallways and corridors of the dorm a warm orange the auburn beauty patrolled the hallways, ensuring that none of the girls accidentally set the dorms on fire as they prepared their dinners. Though a few rooms had their own kitchens, most of the girls couldn't afford to own their own refrigerator and stock it. Instead they were forced to make do with the large double door refrigerator placed in each class's shared kitchen. Common courtesy dictated that the girls didn't steal another girl's food, and each girl put their name and the date on their food as well as entered it into the logbook of items placed in the frig. As dorm mother it was her duty to ensure that nothing spoiled was left in the refrigerator as well as to schedule the cleaning of the common areas by the classes assigned to them.

It was no surprise that a handful of girls from 2-A were in their kitchen, looking over their food and contemplating what to make with the ingredients that were left. Surprise Pot Sundays were very common in the dorms as the girls needed to make space for the groceries they just bought and used up the last of the previous week's groceries.

"Narusegawa-sensei," several girls greeted as they spotted the buxom beauty.

Rather than addressing each girl individually Naru simply inclined her head, "Girls."

"You practice with Saotome-sensei, right?" the grey haired Izumi asked as she set her eyes on the math teacher.

Recalling the conversation she'd had the previous day she nodded.

"What do you know about Tenma?" the chocolate haired Konoe asked as she sprang to her feet.

"Tenma?" she repeated.

"Saotome-sensei's son," Konoka explained.

Naru nodded her head, catching on to what they were talking about. _'Sunday – they must have run into Ranma when he didn't have his illusions up.'_ "I've actually never met any of Ranma's children."

"He's got more?" 2-A's resident reporter asked as the redhead pulled out a note-pad. "But I thought you used to live with him?"

"I didn't live with him," the older woman stated as she reflexively back pedaled. "We lived in the same dorm because he was one of the owners, but we didn't live together. Besides, the last three years he's been abroad studying."

"So you don't know about his children?" the inquisitive Kazumi asked.

Holding firm, Naru nodded. "He doesn't talk about them much. I wouldn't ask Haruna about them either, it's a family issue that I hope you don't press with either Haruna or Ranma," she replied as her amber eyes locked with Kazumi's deep brown eyes. Seeing the other girl flinch it was clear that she'd gotten the message.

"But Asuna's dating Tenma," Ako exclaimed. "Can't we ask him?"

"Yeah," the redhead seconded as she found a loop hole to exploit. "You didn't say we couldn't ask him, Narusegawa-sensei, and he's not a student at the academy so"

"He wouldn't talk to us about it," Konoka stated. "And I won't let you girls bother him about his family issues."

The gathered girls sulked at the chocolate haired girl's declaration. Like the class rep, Konoka's authority in the class was a result of the other girls' respect for her in part because of her relationship to the Dean and in part because she always stood up for the girls in their class.

A silence filled the kitchen as the girls considered their restrictions.

"So," the clever Kazumi said, breaking the silence, "Tenma's going to instruct Asuna while Ranma's helping to train Makie for nationals… but you've never met Tenma so you wouldn't know how good he is, right? The only other person who might know who isn't related is Shinobu Maehara, but she's a college student. She's got seniority on us so she's not going to tell us how good he is."

The other girls nodded.

"Ku Fei," the reporter exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. "We'll have to get her the other fighters in the class to challenge him!"

"Yeah!" several girls exclaimed.

"What good will that do?" an unexpected voice asked.

Everyone turned around, their eyes now on Baka Black as the violet haired girl and her roommate stood in the entrance to the kitchen.

"Saotome-sensei had his student Maehara-sempai instruct Haruna, but Fei's already stated that she's better than Maehara-sempai," the lazy bookworm stated. "If Saotome-sensei's got his son instructing Asuna it's probably because he doesn't think much of his son's ability."

"Then why lay down a challenge to him?" Ako objected.

"Challenge?" Naru asked.

Konoka nodded, "Tenma has until the end of summer vacation to instruct Asuna. If she can last more than one minute against him then Saotome-sensei will acknowledge Tenma's ability as an instructor."

Naru blinked, _'Okay, I'm missing something here.'_

"Hey!" one of the girls in the back shouted. "They're here! And guess who's with them!"

The girls all rushed towards the kitchen window.

"He's so handsome."

"How'd she get a boyfriend like him?"

With their attention firmly on the four figures outside, none of the girls noticed as Naru buried her face in her hand. _'This is getting out of control.'_

X X X X X

Though Mahora was well known as an Academy city, there was a very relaxed and casual atmosphere over the campus that most of the teachers and staff seemed to encourage. Regardless of the atmosphere and appearance of such an easy going nature there were rules that the teachers all adhered to.

As much as he seemed to hate following the rules, Ranma Saotome knew that even he had to obey some of the rules. As a teacher he was expected to set a good example for his students. Still, he'd be forced to lie to them about Tenma, not that he wasn't lying to them about his curse or about the existence of magic.

"Ranma," Shinzune called out, her voice gentle and reassuring. The woman's motherly nature seemed to fill the chamber, easing any tension that those who came to see the Dean felt. Even Ranma felt slightly relaxed, at least more than he normally felt. "The Dean will see you now."

As he followed the voluptuous aqua haired woman he could see why many of the younger boys didn't mind having to see the Dean. As the Dean's personal assistant everyone who saw him had to go through her first. The shapely woman had a body that would make many professional models envious, yet her nature was that of a caring mother or nurse, not of a sultry seductress.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of all distractions as Shinzune opened the smaller, side door leading into the Dean's office.

"Ranma," the Dean greeted, his voice boisterous and welcoming despite his apparent age, "it's good to see you. I was just thinking of calling you in."

The ominous words made the immortal pause as he crossed the threshold. A quick glance around the room told him that they wouldn't be meeting alone as Takahashi and Toko were both present. The elegant swordswoman quickly nodded at her student, sending the half demon Setsuna Sakurazaki out after the already departing personal assistant.

"Takahata, Toko, old man," he greeted, adding a slight nod to each of them.

"How was your date with Mana?" the scruffy blond asked. Though he appeared relaxed, Ranma knew that Takahata found his situation to be very amusing.

"I made it out without getting shot in the head this time," he replied. "Things are definitely looking up."

"You know that she'll figure out that you erased her memories eventually," the Dean stated as he stood up. "But I'm sure you'll deal with bridge when you cross it. Right now though, I assume you're here to talk about your sons."

The master martial artist inclined his head slightly.

"We'll have to test them of course, probably over the summer once both of them are here," the old man stated. "They'll be able to start up after the break."

Ranma couldn't help but grin at the old man's best Dumbledore impression.

"Of course, the reason why I wanted to call you here involves your residence," Dean Konoe said as his steely grey eyes locked with Ranma's striking blue ones.

"You want me to rent out the first floor room to the new English teacher," Ranma finished. He didn't dare look at Takahata for fear of indicting his friend, not that the Dean would actually do anything to his most valuable teacher, but the fact remained that Ranma wasn't part of the Kanto MA and that their friendship might eventually prove to be inconvenient for everyone.

"In a manner of speaking," the Konoe replied thoughtfully. "But there's more to it than that. I'd like you to pick him up. I understand that you're going to England for the release of the newest Harry Potter book over the break. I'd like for you to meet young Mr. Springfield and escort him back here."

Intrigued by the man's ploy, Ranma couldn't help but feel as though he were being played. _'Springfield… why does that name sound familiar?'_ "Fine, I can do that, as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans for the summer."

"Good, good," the old man muttered. "I believe that the rent for Mr. Springfield should cover the expenses your boys will incur purchasing their uniforms and school supplies. Shinzune will have the check ready for you."

The immortal offered a slight bow before turning around. It didn't surprise him that the side door to the chamber was once again open or that the buxom blond was standing in the doorway with an envelope in her hand.

A slight sense of unease and dread filled his stomach as he offered the blond a courteous bow before accepting the envelope in her hand. The fact that he now had a boarder that he probably didn't want and who apparently spoke English could disrupt his secret meetings with the other MA heads. Still, he couldn't refuse the Dean, could he?

With the housing shortage on campus and in Mahora there were few places that a new teacher could live, even with a few months of planning in advance. He'd only managed to purchase his house because of the untimely passing of one of the many merchants in Mahora. Had the man had any family they might have claimed the house for themselves and rented either the entire property or individual rooms to any potential students, teachers, or other businesses. It was only because of his considerable fortune he'd been able to purchase the property, though he'd had to make an offer that was significantly higher than what many of the other perspective landlords had offered for the decrepit building, and convert it to suit his own needs.

Thinking over the layout of the first floor he pondered just how he could improve it to include a second bathroom for his new tenant as well as provide said tenant with more privacy.

'_One month,'_ he thought as he considered all that needed to be done to prepare for the new arrival. _'I can do that easily.'_

X X X X X

Silvery wisps of steam seamlessly blended with the pale mist of the evening fog obscuring his vision as well as drowning out any sound. The boiling water caused his face to flush as his body was infused with heat.

Reveling in the warmth of the onsen he lay back, pressing his back to the heated stone. A sigh of contentment filled the air before being blanketed by the mist. Even the sound of the gently falling rain against the high glass ceiling overhead failed to penetrate the mist.

Soaking in the onsen was a reward he offered himself. Not only had he enrolled Tenma and Hiro at Mahora, he'd acquired two additional students. Though they weren't the most promising students, they had great potential, exceeding Shinobu's potential easily. Still, he knew that there was only so much that he could push them, especially without revealing that magic existed.

Easing himself into his favorite seat in the onsen he let out a content sigh. Though his immortal body regenerated at an incredible rate even he was not immune to straining his body. The familiar aches and pains of pushing his body felt good, almost like the caress of a familiar lover. It felt good to push himself like this, even better knowing that he'd done it while training someone else.

The muffled sound of the bathroom door opening didn't alarm him in the least, not with Tenma now residing with him.

'_Maybe I will be a good dad,'_ he thought with a satisfied smile.

Moving to the deeper end of the onsen he leaned against the side, slowly pushing his chest against the stone surface. Arching his back he felt the hot, soothing water slowly relieved the dull ache in his exhausted muscles as he stretched. Sighing in relief, he closed his eyes even as he stood straight up.

Small, gentle hands pressed against his exposed back, spooking him as he realized that he wasn't alone. Not only that, but that the hands on his back suggested that his companion was a woman.

Before he could do anything slender arms embraced him, reaching around his muscular chest even as ample breasts pressed against his back.

A shiver of excitement ran up his spine as he realized just who it was. He could feel her erect nipples pressing into his tender back, creating a warmth in his loins that he just couldn't deny.

His strong, firm hands could have pried her fingers apart, forcing her to let go of him, yet he found himself grasping her hand. "I can't do this," he muttered as he felt her rest her head against his right shoulder.

"Why?" she demanded, her voice pleading for an answer that was concrete and indisputable.

"You know why," he replied, his eyes closed as he fought to control his pounding heart. He could feel hers beating as she pressed her firm breasts to his back.

"Fine," she whispered her voice resolute. "I've found a new master. I won't ever come here again as your student."

His heart skipped a beat at the revelation even as an unfamiliar weight formed in the pit of his stomach. Slowly he lowered himself into the hot water, feeling her smooth, soft skin pressed against his as she also sunk into the water.

Gently, hesitantly, he slowly turned around and gazed into her deep brown eyes. "You're sure about this?"

"You're not?" she replied, releasing him as she stepped back.

A stiff gust blew through the onsen, almost as if by command, blowing away the fog and steam, providing him with a view of true beauty. Again his heart missed a beat as he took in her naked form.

His arousal was evident, yet he knew better than to simply rush in. Holding out his hand, he offered it to her.

Shinobu's gentle hand accepted his, her dexterous fingers entwining with his, allowing him to pull her to him.

Soft, full lips greeted his hungry ones, reminding him to be gentle. It was the only reminder he'd need.

X X X X X

A/N

Thanks to all the TFFers and reviewers for your encouragement and advice. Going without a beta is hard, but with all the feedback that I get I feel much better about what I eventually post here and at TFF. Thanks again.

Dreamingfox


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Notes –

Two months down, 10 more to go until the end of the world (that's if you believe it'll end in 2012).

# # # # #

Memory – the mental capacity or faculty of retaining and reviving facts, events, impressions, etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences; the act or fact of retaining and recalling impressions, facts, etc.

He had memories, well, recorded data, of his fight against the real Ranma Saotome, the man he now identified as 'father', 'dad', or 'pops'. He even had memories of walking in on several different women as they enjoyed the Hinata Sou's onsen and of time spent at the Hinata Sou and interacting with various residents there. But everything that he remembered from before his most recent activation just seemed, well, cold and unremarkable. It was all just data.

Even though he continued to record all that he experienced, Tenma couldn't help but feel that what he was now experiencing would become something more than just raw data.

"You're Tenma," a tall girl he recognized as Asakura Kazumi stated. "How long have you two been dating?"

He stared at her, _'Definitely fits the description he has of her,'_ the cyborg thought as he smiled warmly at the tall girl. "We're not dating," he replied frankly.

Mentally he noted the slightly taken back look on the fiery strawberry blonde's face at his remark. "She's now my student. It would be unprofessional of me to take advantage of her while she trusts me to instruct her."

"Even if she wants you to take advantage of her?" Asakura teased.

"Kazumi!" several girls exclaimed in outrage.

Undaunted, the Paparazzi of 2-A pushed ahead of the crowd of girls and closer to the lone male, "How old are you?"

"15."

"What's your sign?"

"Aries."

"Birthday?"

"April 13th."

"Favorite movie?"

"Terminator 2."

"Favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Favorite sport?"

"Martial arts."

"Do you have a younger brother?"

"Yes."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"I think that's enough," a stern voice proclaimed. One look from those hard amber eyes silenced Tenma.

Everyone turned toward the busty dorm mother.

"Can't we talk to him?" several girls protested.

"I'm sure that Tenma has to return home and tend to the dojo," Naru stated.

"Um, actually, Ranma's supposed to have dinner with Tatsumiya right now," Haruna interjected.

Tenma nodded. "Narusegawa-sempai, pops instructed me to escort Makie, Asuna, and Haruna home but also suggested that I take my time returning."

"Ooh!" the girls around him exclaimed.

"It's strictly professional," Naru found herself saying.

The cyborg nodded. "Possibly."

"This is a big scoop," Asakura exclaimed as she scribbled into her notepad.

"Sorry for causing a scene," Tenma stated. "I should head back now."

"Can't you come inside?" several girls pleaded.

"Yeah, your cousin lives here, so I'm sure you would be allowed to come in as a guest," one of them stated.

"That's alright," he replied, acting just as the original Ranma would have in his shoes. "Maybe next time."

Purposely he extracted himself from the girls as carefully as he could. The graceful leap from their midst to the nearest lamppost drew several surprised cries at his display of strength and balance.

"Oh," a blond girl exclaimed. This one he recognized as Ku Fei, the daughter of Mousse, former rival to one Ranma Saotome. "Tenma is good. I want to fight him!"

He couldn't help but smile as he fled the scene. The prospect of a good fight and of training Asuna greatly interested him.

It surprised him just how much memory his short appearance before the Sakura Lane dorm had used as he quickly scanned over his internal memory. He didn't know why, but he felt certain that he'd be able to look back at meeting most of 2-A with fondness in the future - an odd sensation for a cyborg.

Patterned as he was after his 'father', Tenma thought just as his father thought, applying the same logic his father used, but without all of the emotional baggage or previous experiences to justify that logic. Only a few additional lines of script/programming altered his perspective as the additional uploaded programming from his father before his activation allowed him to play a certain role.

With so much to analyze it was no wonder then that the cyborg simply returned to his room, the second room on the right on the second floor. With the peace and quiet of the empty house he slowly and methodically began analyzing everything that had happened that day since he'd been activated as he watched the rain drops hit his window. It seemed that with every gentle splatter a new thought or insight hit his cybernetic brain, adding to the mass of information he was sifting through.

Just as his cursed flesh mended any physical injuries, it slowly invaded his cybernetic brain, forcefully mending the hastily repaired work that its creator had patched together after the T-800's fight against the real Ranma Saotome. Yet all the programming by the maniacal genius and the regenerative powers hadn't accounted for the irregularity that was Ranma Saotome. The unusual mess of personality quirks, illogical sense of honor and duty, Su's insanity and cutting edge technology and programming, and Japan's own societal code merged together in one Tenma Saotome.

Tenma Saotome blinked, taking in the light of the new dawn as the golden rays of light pierced the grey horizon. Had an entire night passed while he was sorting through the information from Sunday?

"Hey," a familiar voice called out, "you're awake. You didn't come down for a bath last night."

The cyborg turned around, taking in his father's profile as the immortal stood in the doorway. "Oh, I needed to shut down to process all the data I gathered."

A bemused look formed on the older Saotome's face. "I've got to head out for my classes in a bit. You're going to be enrolled at the boys' academy once the summer break is over. But until then, I figure I can trust you to help finish up the first floor guest room. I've laid out the blue print and they should be delivering the last items for the second bathroom later today."

Tenma stood up impassively.

"If you're hungry just heat up the leftovers from Saturday," Ranma instructed. "Otherwise, just stay out of trouble."

"Can I go into the city?"

The immortal paused. "Just stay out of trouble," he repeated as he reached into his pocket. Fishing out his wallet he threw several folded up bills at Tenma. "That should be enough for a boy your age to get by this week. Pick up some clothes for yourself as well as a cell phone."

"But I have a built in"

"Don't use it," Ranma ordered. "Act like a normal guy and get a cell phone. You know my number, right?"

Tenma nodded.

"Just be here at 2pm when they deliver the bathroom stuff," the immortal stated. "Other than that, see what you can do fix up the guestroom before you go anywhere. Oh, and be back in time to oversee Asuna's training. I'm going to see if Ryoga needs to come here or not.

"Anyways, if something comes up, feel free to give me a call."

Again Tenma nodded.

"And stay out of trouble."

New as he was to the daily routine of his father, Tenma thought nothing of the fact that the older Saotome had left just after dawn, several hours before the first classes started.

With his father gone, Tenma retreated to the onsen. The scent of fresh leaves and grass greeted him as the previous night's rain had washed away all other scents. The cool air felt refreshing as he took a deep breath, while the heat from the steaming hot water seemed to reach his bio-metallic bones.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed in the onsen, but when he left he had a better appreciation for it. A few hours of handy work in the guest room resulted in him completing each of the walls and patching the joints of the drywall seamlessly.

'Tomorrow,' he vowed as he looked at the bare walls.

A slight grumbling of his cybernetic stomach told him that he needed to replenish his fuel reserves. Heading into the kitchen he opened the large double door refrigerator. It didn't take him long to find the leftovers from Shinobu's interrupted feast. Like a hungry wolf he attacked the remaining food, leaving nothing but drying plates on the rack.

Another dip in the onsen was cut short as the deliverymen arrived with the western style toilet, bathtub/standing shower, and sink for the new bathroom. Finding himself unmotivated, Tenma opted to explore the city of Mahora. Though Ranma had uploaded a map of the city (with his glyphs) into Tenma's memory the cyborg decided to be a bit adventurous and to explore it on his own without any guide or map.

X X X X X

There were few times in her relatively short life when Naru Narusegawa had ever felt an immense and nearly overwhelming sense of impending doom. It was like watching a boulder balancing precariously on a ledge with some hapless fool beneath said ledge or some drunk idiot running on the train tracks as the train was speeding towards him or like having the hots for some hapless ronin who had a thing for your busty best friend. That was what she felt as she listened to the girls of 2-A talking about Ranma and Tenma Saotome.

Then again, if anyone could survive the wreck that was fast approaching it would be Ranma, though Keitaro would be a not so distant second. The fact that they could survive such a wreck made watching it happen all the more entertaining, but still, it the impending fireworks were probably going to be blinding as well as spectacular.

As such, Naru wasn't sure what she felt until she confronted her former lover.

"Ranma," she growled as she spotted the other freshman teacher.

The handful of teachers around them quickly scattered. The close knit community of teachers had quickly found out about Ranma's date with Tatsumiya Mana and given her reputation they didn't want to stick around for this show. For some reason people were known to get shot whenever she was involved, and if the rumors weren't true (as they usually weren't) then people would get shot.

"Hey Naru," the martial arts master replied cheerfully, ignoring the fact that everyone around him had vanished. "How was your weekend?"

'_You didn't activate T-800, did you?'_ each word hit him like a nail from a nail gun.

Despite the cool morning breeze Ranma could feel a trickle of sweat running down the side of his face. _'I had him reprogrammed.'_

'_Do you not remember what he did the last time he was activated?'_ she demanded, an image of the cyborg flying through the air with half its skin ripped off appeared in the immortal telepath's head.

'_Yeah,'_ he thought calmly, shoving aside her image. _'I beat him.'_

'_You destroyed the Tea House!'_

'_How was I to know that I couldn't get him angry?'_ the thought in his own defense. _'Besides, it all worked out in the end.'_

The auburn beauty wasn't sure what annoyed her more – the fact that Ranma, despite his decades of knowledge, could be so short sighted sometimes or the fact that he was still so immature and irresponsible at times.

'_I figured I'd only keep him around for a week or two,' _the immortal explained._ 'To help me keep my illusions secret, but then the Dean caught wind of him and you know how bad old man Konoe wants a respectable guy to marry his granddaughter…'_

Naru blinked, her composure nearly broken. Had they merely been talking she might not have picked up on what he was feeling. As a master thespian he was skilled at portraying himself in a certain light without revealing his true intentions, but their past intimacies and emotional bond allowed her to see not only into his surface thoughts but into his heart as well.

Ranma wasn't trying to mislead the others; he was using Tenma as a trial run for Hiro.

'_Ranma,'_ she thought, her emotions adding extra impact to her thoughts. The look in his bright blue eyes said it all. It was hard for her to lecture him about how he should raise his children. Unlike Motoko and Kitsune, Naru didn't know what it felt like to be a parent. The responsibilities one endured as a parent as well as the rewards that one ultimately reaped as a parent were lost to her. _'You should talk to Motoko.'_

'_Motoko? Why?'_

Naru shook her head. Their short but deep conversation had lasted little longer than a minute, yet her mood had certainly waned. Foolish as he sometimes was, it wasn't as though he was being malicious even though he was being deceptive. "Just call Motoko or and your brother."

The look on his face told her that he was still clueless as to why she'd been upset at him. "Is it about my dinner with Mana? Why would they need to know about Mana?"

Exasperated, she shook her head in frustration. "If you don't I will."

X X X X X

The late morning sun peaked through the clouds, hinting at the warmth of the season despite the unexpected and scattered showers. The unpredictable downpours left the streets of Mahora with a multitude of puddles and stranded a few shoppers and walkers who had gone out without their umbrellas. Though it was still early, most of the shops had already experienced their lunch rush and were now preparing for the afterschool rush with only a handful of shoppers and strollers milling around.

It was times like this that made Mahora seem so peaceful and quiet as many of the residents were either working or in school.

Free to roam, the raven haired youth made the most of his afternoon as he explored the city.

"Tenma!" a familiar female voice cried out.

Instinctively he turned around. A buxom young woman wearing jeans and a t-shirt approached him. For a moment the cyborg failed to recognize her as her blue hair was up. Scanning her facial features though allowed him to identify her, "Shinobu."

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she set down a box.

"Pops said I could explore the city as long as I stay out of trouble," he replied automatically.

She nodded, "I'm sure if it was him wandering around he'd have been walking on the fence."

"What are you doing?" he asked as he eyed the box.

"Moving," she stated with a sigh. "I couldn't get a moving van on such short notice."

"Was there something wrong with your apartment?"

Shinobu shook her head. "I found a new master to study under."

Tenma was slightly shocked at the revelation. He wasn't sure why he should be shocked, just that it absolutely surprised him. "Do you require assistance?"

"If you would," she replied as she gave him an odd look.

Nodding, he took the box from her. "Where to?"

"I'll show you."

X X X X X

If there was one thing about the magical world it had to be the politics. With the various magical associations that were vying for power and the various groups and factions within them also struggling to either claim or maintain control it was truly nerve racking for the various heads of the many groups.

Ranma didn't envy any of the other leaders. Of all the ones he knew only Dean Konoe had absolute control of his faction. It helped that everyone in the Kanto MA believed in the philosophy that he advocated. The fact that Mahora had long been established as one of the largest communities of magi and had built not only the city but an entire school system helped cement Mahora as a major force.

Like Kanto, the Kansai MA also had a long tradition of producing powerful magi. Unlike the Kanto MA there were many smaller factions vying for control of the association, not all of them agreeing with the policies and practices established by the current head of the association.

As a close friend to the current head of the Kansai Magical Association, a friend and former lover to the head of one of the more powerful factions within the MA, and as the only practicing master of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū (the current Grandmaster also being married to the former head of the Shinmeiryu) he knew that he was placed in a precarious position.

It was because of his relationships that some of the other faction heads had been hesitant to meet with him initially. Only his reputation from his time in Nerima and his recent exploits with some of the lesser factions had opened the door for him to even meet with some of the major faction leaders.

Having earned the moniker of 'Ambassador', Ranma knew that he could have unexpected calls anytime that he was home should there ever be a need.

What was unusual was for the head of the Kansai MA, the current and former leaders of the Shinmeiryu, and the grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū to all appear in his house. Then again, he was more than just the 'Ambassador' to them. To them he was a trusted friend.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, slightly skeptical about their sudden appearance in his house.

"We heard one of your sons was currently living with you," the fanged grandmaster stated.

Ranma paused, recollection catching up with his reeling mind. _'Naru.'_ "Yeah," he replied. "Tenma. Ranma Tenma Saotome."

The others glanced around at each other.

"You know," Ranma muttered, "if you guys want to talk about it this weekend I can actually come down to Kyoto."

"That's not necessary," Ryoga replied. "I'll let Konatsu know what's going on and he should stop by sometime this week. Just make sure you know what you're doing."

"Dean Konoe's already in on it," the immortal martial artists stated.

The phantoms turned towards Eishun.

"Hey, the old man hasn't said a thing about it to me," the older swordsman and current head of the Kansai MA shrugged.

"Of course he wouldn't," the immortal agreed. "He's thinking that Tenma would be a great husband for Konoka."

The swordsman blanched. "What?"

"That sounds like your father-in-law," Tsuruko said as she shook her head.

Even Motoko had to nod in agreement. "That's neither here nor there – tell me, is Tenma the cyborg Su built that destroyed the teahouse?"

"Yeah," he replied. Leave it to her to cut to the chase. As the leader of the Shinmeiryu she'd become much more responsible than when she'd known her at the Sou.

The slender kendoka shook her head. "I thought you put your fist through its skull?"

"Su repaired it," he explained. "I figured I'd keep it around in case I needed some sort of back up."

"And now you've activated it," Ryoga grumbled.

Ranma nodded. "I also had Su program a special upload to provide it with some select memories and with my personality so it won't start attacking people at random."

The illusions nodded, slowly processing what he told them.

"I still think Konatsu needs to talk to you," Ryoga repeated.

"I agree," Eishun agreed. "Plus no one will think anything of it if he visits you."

A slight chime filled the room, warning Ranma of impending guests. "Speaking of visits," he muttered. "Sorry to cut this short, but I've got new students to break in."

"The werewolf?" Ryoga asked.

Ranma shook his head. "I'm instructing someone on Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics and Tenma's instructing Haruna and one of her classmates."

"The cyborg's already instructing?" the grandmaster scoffed.

"I need to see just how good he is," the immortal replied. "And Shinobu's found another master to study under."

"Who?" Motoko interjected.

The immortal shrugged. "She didn't say. I really should get going. I'll be at the Grill Saturday night if you want to meet in person."

The phantoms quickly vanished, leaving only the immortal standing in the dining room.

The sound of the door opening told him who the first of the group was as only three people had the key to his house. "Hey Tenma," he greeted without even bothering to turn around.

"Yo pops," the cyborg returned.

Something about the greeting warmed Ranma. "Have fun in the city?"

"Eh," the younger Saotome replied. "I ran into Shinobu. She's left the dojo?"

His pride as a teacher and instructor stung at the mention of his former first student even as part of him felt glad that she had moved on. "Yeah. I guess you gotta step up."

Before anything else could be said another chime sounded, this one informing him that someone had entered the property from the side entrance that led to the dojo.

"That'll be Luke," Ranma stated as he quickly stripped off his shirt. "We should head to the dojo."

Tenma nodded as he unbuttoned his shirt. Having uploaded the information about the dojo, the cyborg knew who the cursed boy was even though he'd never met him.

By the time the two Saotomes reached the dojo they'd managed to slip into something more comfortable for their afternoon sparring and training. The black pants and loose t-shirts allowed them to move freely as they performed various strikes or throws.

"Afternoon sensei," the energetic blond boy greeted as he opened the large double doors to the dojo.

"Luke," Ranma returned with a formal smile. "This is my son Tenma. He's the new instructor. Shinobu won't be with us any longer."

He could see a slight look of disappointment on the boy's face at the loss of the buxom instructor. Though Luke had been laying on the ground at the end of the last sparring session he'd undoubtedly seen the blunette topless as she had her gi ripped off by the resident master. Despite his ability to reign in his wolf, the boy was still a hormonal teenager.

"He'll be overseeing the instruction for you, Haruna, and Asuna," Ranma explained. "I'll be instructing Makie in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. Yes, it is a style, and no, I won't be teaching it to you. I'm helping Makie train for nationals and as Coach Tanaka is out she needs an instructor to work with her."

The blond nodded his head in understanding, an eager smile on his face.

Ranma could only shake his head. Clearly the young boy was looking forward to having more girls around even if the buxom Shinobu had departed. Hopefully he wouldn't be too distracted by them.

X X X X X

The still air of the courtyard greeted the buxom blunette as she entered the enchanted castle. The cold stone exterior appeared dull and lifeless in the light of the afternoon sun. Glancing up, she could see that the artificial sun lacked the luster and brightness that it had recently burned with.

"You're late," the buxom blond vampire declared.

A distinct chill in the woman's voice echoed off of the cold stone walls, sending a slight chill down Shinobu's spine.

"The Asura's free," Evangeline stated. "Her blood can no longer sustain me."

"That's why you wanted me to move in," the blunette exclaimed as she made the connection.

"Yes and no," the blond stated as she floated down from her balcony.

Even from this distance Shinobu could tell that Evangeline lacked the usual aura of power that she normally radiated after she consumed the blood of the Asura.

"I want you to be my newest partner," the vampire stated. "I've spent the past month checking the equations for the age sharing spell and I don't think it'll work out the way you want it to.

"But there is a way for you to get what you want, only as long as I'm alive though."

Shinobu eyed the buxom blond as she stood before her. With her centuries of experience it was hard for the mortal girl to tell if the vampire was lying to her. She'd known that the original spell worked, but she'd altered it for the nearly ageless Shinma vampire. Even Patrick had been uncertain if the altered spell would work on a vampire, though he was certain that it wouldn't work on someone like Ranma.

"I've altered the standard contract for a Magister Magi so that you as my Ministra will receive part of my power as well as a good portion of my youth," Eva explained. "And that's without having to actually activate the card."

Intrigued by the offer, Shinobu weighed her options. "What do I need to do?"

Eva smiled sinisterly. "Well, now that you've lost your virginity…"

X X X X X

Progress- a movement towards a goal or to a further or higher stage; growth or development, continuous improvement; advancement in general; to grow or develop.

As a student progress was a simple concept. It was constantly graded by her various teachers and displayed in various manners. After just a few weeks of training under Tenma, Asuna felt that she was making great progress. Not only was she able to hold her own against the lanky giant known as Luke, but she was able to hold her own against Tenma as well, at least for a minute.

Sweat beaded up on her forehead as she waited for an opportunity to attack. Laboring for breath, she watched as Tenma and Luke led the charge. With his long, lanky arms Luke lashed out with an overhead right that kept Ranma from taking to the air while Tenma burst into motion with a middle kick.

As good as their team work was though the two boys failed to connect. Even worse, Ranma slipped past their strikes, connecting with a sweep that sent Tenma flying into Luke.

"Not bad," Ranma grunted as he stood tall over the tangled mess. "That's enough for today."

For the first time since she'd started training with everyone the strawberry blond felt shortchanged. Thus far Ranma had refused to let them off so easily after just an hour of intense sparring. Normally he pushed them all until they could barely stand, yet today he had only landed a few choice blows against each of them. "That's all?" she panted, certain that he was trying to trick them.

"Yeah," the raven haired man replied. "There's only one week left until nationals and Makie needs to work on her routine. Tenma, why don't you take the others and enjoy the onsen while I work with Makie on her routine?"

The younger Saotome nodded.

"Konoka would love to use your onsen," Asuna exclaimed.

As much as she wanted to spend time alone with Tenma, the normally fiery redhead knew that she needed to take care of his wingman. As the only two boys Tenma and Luke had bonded quickly and easily. And like any hormonal boy he was easily distracted. Unfortunately she'd learned that Luke just wasn't into Haruna, probably because she was the dojo master's niece.

"Fine," Saotome-sensei replied offhandedly as he focused on the gymnast. "Tenma, you're in charge."

Again Tenma nodded. "You wanna call anyone?" he asked the taller boy.

"Nah," the lanky youth replied.

"I'll make the call while we're changing," Asuna stated as she and Haruna headed into the girls' changing room.

"Oh," Haruna squealed in delight, "Nodoka and Yue are going to love the onsen!"

X X X X X

The warm afternoon air caressed her sweat soaked brow as a thrusting punch narrowly missed connecting with her cheek. A precise round house kick cut through the air, barely missing her attacker before a strong counter connected with her extended leg, knocking her to the ground.

"Class Rep is getting stronger," the shorter blond exclaimed.

Grunting, the taller blond stood up, rubbing her sore leg as she tried to work past the pain.

"Practice is done for today," Ku stated.

"But we've only sparred for an hour," the green eyed girl panted.

Fei nodded. "Class Rep improve much, but need to know when to rest."

Scowling was something that a proud Yukihiro didn't do. Despite her great displeasure Ayaka refused to show her displeasure in such an unwomanly fashion. "But I need to improve," she stated firmly.

"Why?" Ku Fei asked as she grabbed a towel.

Only the bath on the seventh floor provided them with enough room to spar without interruption. Though Mahora had a multitude of facilities they were always in use by some club or another. Even with the vast fortunes that her family had amassed Ayaka couldn't rent time at any of the facilities, thus forcing her to practice in the dorm baths. Had it not been for the recent string of defeats that she'd suffered at her rival's hands perhaps she wouldn't have been forced to such drastic measures.

The feel of the muscles in her hands tightening as her fists told her that she was had let things get to her.

For as long as they'd been at Mahora, Yukihiro Ayaka and Kagurazaka Asuna had always butted heads. Their rivalry was famous in their year, and the fact that they were always in the same class meant that they were almost always around each other, resulting in them fighting on a daily basis. For the most part they'd been equals, neither one managing to win more often than the other, though draws had become nearly common place recently. But that all changed two weeks ago when Asuna suddenly began to win. It had taken a week of losing for the proud blond to realize just what had happened – Asuna was receiving outside training, and from her boyfriend no less.

Unwilling to let Asuna prevail, Ayaka had been forced to seek out the assistance of Mahora's champion. Yet even with Ku Fei's training the proud heiress had not been able to stop her rival's recent winning streak.

Exhausted, Ayaka grabbed her towel. Sore muscles protested against further training. Still, it was too soon for her to call it a day.

"Oh, Class Rep," a gentle voice exclaimed. "Ku Fei, I forgot that you were training in here."

The two blondes turned towards the door, glancing at the delicate flower.

"Konoe," the taller of the blondes greeted, "you wish to use the bath now?"

"Oh, actually I won't need it," the chocolate haired girl replied with a warm smile. "I'm going over to Saotome-sensei's to use the onsen."

"Saotome-sensei has an onsen?" the soft spoken Izumi Ako asked.

Konoka nodded. "It's beautiful, and spacious. Asuna tells me about it all the time. She gets to use it after sparring on the weekends. She said that Saotome-sensei is fine with a few of us going over to use it."

"Fine," Ayaka said with a grin, "we'll accept Saotome-sensei's hospitality."

X X X X X

The calm, stagnant air of the stone courtyard weighed on her sweat dampened skin as the young woman focused on the pool of water before her.

"You've improved," Evangeline declared.

Shinobu couldn't help but beam as the platinum blond vampire praised her. Unlike the last time when Eva had praised her, the blunette knew that she'd actually progressed. As Eva's newest partner the blunette received an infusion of magical power and retained her youth, proper incentive to keep Evangeline alive for as long as supernaturally possible. But the greatest reward was not the youth or power, it was the fact that she'd once again made progress in the art.

Under Ranma, Shinobu had been the primary instructor, with Ranma instructing the finer points of the style, execution, technique and form. But as the instructor she had firsthand experience in gauging how well the girls had progressed. In only a few short weeks Haruna had already shown remarkable progress, exceeding what Shinobu had learned in her first year. Then again, her parents had been Ranma's rivals when they'd been her age.

From what she could tell of Asuna and Makie both girls exceeded her. With their history of athletics they were light years ahead of where she'd been when she'd been their age. And under Ranma they would quickly surpass her in both skill and ability.

Yes, leaving Ranma had been the right choice. Though she had needed to agree to a binding contract with the Shinma Vampire, Shinobu had finally gotten off the plateau that she'd been stuck on for so long. Soon she might even be considered a rival for her lover.

With the full moon only a few nights away she could feel an influx of power from her mistress. Power that would eventually make her Ranma's equal.

But for now that same power would be used to help her new mistress acquire the things she wanted. And Shinobu knew what Eva wanted. It wasn't their bond that made it easy for Shinobu to discern her mistress' intent, it was the knowledge gained from being around the vampire.

With the full moon approaching Shinobu could feel her own lust and desire increasing. Her late night excursions into Ranma's third floor room had become more frequent as the moon slowly filled. If not for the security that Ranma had placed on his house she was sure that several people would have seen her entering or leaving the premises. Thankfully she'd managed to learn the sealed techniques, hiding herself from human vision as she slipped into his bedroom.

She could feel her passion welling up inside of her as a slight tingle of desire filled her. But with Eva needing to hunt tonight Shinobu wondered if she'd be able to stop by and visit her former master tonight.

Unlike Eva, Shinobu couldn't drain the sexual energy of her lovers. Still, the sex was exhilarating. It far exceeded anything she'd dreamt of or fantasized.

Just thinking about being intimate with her former master made her wet.

The sound of her current master sniffing the air broke the blunette's current tangent. "Someone's ready to go on the prowl tonight," Eva teased. "Better save it for the full moon though."

X X X X X

"This is heaven," the blond youth sighed as he lowered himself into the steaming water.

The raven haired youth simply sat back, allowing the hot water to swirl around him as he displaced it.

Across from them a beavy of beautiful younger girls entered the onsen with their towels draped over their breasts. With the girls in their bathing suits the onsen was less of a bath and more of a Jacuzzi as the youths lounged around after their grueling practice.

"How's the water?" the shameless Saotome Haruna asked as she led the horde of girls from 2-A out of the house.

"Great," Luke replied contently as he took in the sight of all the girls in their bathing suits.

"Girls, for those of you who don't know this is my cousin Saotome Tenma," the mangaka introduced. "And his friend Luke."

The girls bowed slightly, some of them clinging to the towels that they brought out with them.

"Konoka Konoe," the chocolate haired girl beside Haruna said as she offered a warm smile to the boys.

"She's Asuna's roommate," Tenma explained to Luke. The modest school issued bathing suit did her little justice. "She's the Dean's granddaughter."

The blond boy immediately averted his eyes.

"Pops says that her grandfather wanted me to at least ask her out," the cyborg stated.

"But you're dating her roommate," Luke hissed.

Tenma shrugged.

"This is Ayase Yue," Haruna stated. The purple haired girl had twin braids that framed her face. Her dark purple one piece bathing suit matched her hair and dark eyes. "Also known as Baka Black."

Tenma wasn't sure if the redness in Yue's face was due to the heat or if she was embarrassed by the nickname. For the life of him he couldn't understand why she was Baka Black instead of Baka Purple.

"Nagase Kaede," the tall, dusty brunette said as she offered a slight, playful bow. The blue bikini would have been adequate on any of the other girls but on the tall, buxom girl it appeared to barely conceal her already voluptuous body.

"Baka Blue," Haruna added.

Tenma nodded, _'At least she's in blue.'_

Luke seemed to sit up just a bit straighter as the tall girl stepped down into the hot water.

"Ku Fei," a slender yet powerful blond greeted. Her darker skin, facial features, as well as the way she held herself suggested that she wasn't native to Japan, a fact seemingly confirmed by her poor Japanese. "Nice to meet you-aru!"

Haruna grinned, "Baka Yellow." It was clear from the yellow two piece that Ku Fei wore that she deserved that moniker.

"Asuna's Baka Red and Makie's Baka Pink," Tenma explained. _'Asuna's a redhead, and Makie does wear a lot of pink.'_

As if to prove why she was nicknamed Baka Red the normally feisty strawberry blond appeared in a red one piece.

"Izumi Ako," Tenma introduced as he indicated the grey/lilac haired girl that stood slightly behind Kaede. "She's Makie's roommate."

"Hi," the slightly timid girl said as she forced a smile to her face.

The foreign born Luke offered a nod of acknowledgement.

"This is my close friend Miyazaki Nodoka," Haruna introduced the timid purple haired girl that hid behind her long bangs. "She's Yue's best friend and fellow member of the Library Club, just like me and Yue."

Behind the Library trio stood an unusual girl with white-blue hair with unusually dark skin. As if to accentuate her already unique appearance the girl had a tattoo under her left eye in the shape of a giant teardrop and another vertical tattoo that went over her right eye.

"This is Zazie Rainyday," an authoritative blond introduced. Just like Konoka, Zazie wore a school issued bathing suit, though hers appeared to be a size too small as her budding breasts appeared to be straining the material. "Like you she's an international transfer student.

"I'm Yukihiro Ayaka, the Class Rep for 2-A," she added.

"She's Asuna's primary rival," Tenma added as he took in her creamy white bikini. He didn't have to glance at Luke to know where his friend's eyes were as the tall blond girl had looks that easily rivaled Asuna's. "Order and Chaos."

Luke snickered at his friend's remark. "Nice meeting all of you," he said in his smoothest voice possible.

Something deep inside of the cyborg felt, well, off. Being a bio-mechanical clone and not the original, Tenma simply felt a bit of unease. Shuffling the sensation aside, he decided to wait until later to do a system diagnostic as he currently had other things on hand to deal with.

X X X X X

Ever since becoming one of the dorm mothers at the Sakura Lane Dormitory, Naru knew that the young women under her care were soon going to become involved with the boys even though their dorms were on the other side of the residential half of campus. First had been Asuna and Tenma, though none of the girls actually knew who he was at the time. Then Ako had started dating Luke. It didn't help that Luke was one of Ranma's students and that he was apparently Tenma's best friend.

At least it ended with Luke, though several boys from the boys' academy were now trying to get Ranma to take them under his wing. Actually, several girls were had expressed interest in joining, but only Ayaka had convinced the strict master martial artist to take her on as a student.

Still, the girls were slowly becoming involved, and the fact that they were getting involved with Ranma's students didn't sit well with Naru. Though she hadn't been around him during his days in Nerima, she'd heard enough about them to know that things were never easy with Ranma when girls were involved. She and Motoko had been testament to that, and those were during the relatively peaceful years in Hinata.

A slightly unsettling feeling nagged at her as she thought about how complicated things with Ranma and his students were. She'd definitely have to talk with him about it during the flight to London.

X X X X X

Of the many people who knew him back in Nerima, few would have ever thought that Ranma would have become a teacher. First and foremost was the fact that few thought of him as an intellectual person as they focused on his physical abilities. Yet it wasn't just his physical ability that frustrated his many rivals – it was his cunning and sharp mind. Yes, his rivals could learn a new technique that would give them an edge, but he always learned how to defeat their newest techniques. In a few cases he even adapted their technique and could use it against them.

The next thing that many of his then peers had held against him was the simple fact that more often than not Ranma wasn't in class. True, his priorities back then had placed school and academics behind his physical training. In the six months that he'd been at Furinkan he'd missed at least a full month of classes because he'd opted to learn some obscure style of martial artist something or other or was training for a pending showdown with one of his rivals or for a fight with Happosai. Though the skills and styles he learned had been useful, it was his keen mind that had helped him master and best those obscure styles or trick his rival/opponent into allowing him to use his newly acquired technique.

The third strike against him was the fact that when he did show up for his classes he could often be found slacking off if not outright sleeping. In all honesty, Ranma had to admit that he could have made a greater effort to stay focused in class, but the classes themselves were downright boring.

But it was his past short-comings that motivated him to work so hard to be a successful teacher. True, the start of the term had been difficult as the students didn't take kindly to being tested just so that he could have a better idea of what they were each capable of, but it was a necessary step.

With the spring term nearly over the students were slowly warming up to him. It helped that a few like Luke were comfortable approaching him for assistance. Slowly but surely boys were starting to come around. Then again, that could be because Luke had just started dating Ako and was constantly seen around a bevy of beautiful young girls after classes were over each day.

Taking a deep breath, Ranma sighed.

After a long day of classes, detention, and training in the dojo he'd retreated to his room. Though he wanted to stay up and watch TV he knew that he couldn't, not with the most recent batch of tests to grade. With the end of the term fast approaching he needed to grade his students and assess where individual students were as well as assess the separate years before deciding on what to assign them for their summer break.

Yes, being a teacher wasn't easy, or at least it wasn't as easy as what he'd once thought it would be when he'd been a student.

Stacks of ungraded papers lay on his desk even as the dwindling light of day cast a reddish golden glow on the office. Though fully capable of dashing down the stairs quickly, Ranma opted to simply grab his cell phone and text Tenma instead. With curfew less than two hours away he made sure that there was enough time for Luke and Tenma to escort the girls back to Sakura Lane and get Luke back to the safe house before the full moon.

In truth he didn't want to think about the full moon. It was hard enough dealing with the hormonal werewolf in the dojo, making sure that the blond boy behaved appropriately during their training sessions and spars.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, stretching his back as he yawned.

Things had been so much simpler when he didn't have a son. He couldn't help but think that things had been so much easier when he didn't have a son. But it was far too late to do anything about that now. Even Konatsu and Ukyo had agreed that it was too late. Fortunately they had agreed to have Tenma over during the summer break during the week that Ranma would be traveling abroad. That would make things much easier.

As much as he trusted himself, or in this case Tenma, with watching the dojo by himself, he wondered if he could actually trust the girls of 2-A to do the same. The influx of girls over the previous weekend, while a nice reward for his students, had changed things around the dojo. Though they all knew better than to ask for another treat or reward from him, Ranma knew that they would attempt to press Tenma in Ranma's absence.

If not for the fact that Shinobu was no longer his student he would have asked her to attend to the dojo in his absence.

'_Shinobu,'_ he thought, a slight shiver of excitement filling his soul as he thought of the beautiful young woman. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind of his current lover.

He couldn't help but regret the loss of his first student, but she'd learned all that she could from him. He didn't blame her for wanting to go find a teacher that could take her to the next level. Though he was a master illusionist he lacked the same drive and motivation with magic that he did about the martial arts. Even Haruna had hit a wall in her magical instruction as she was currently able to only cast minor illusions.

But now was not the time to think about that. With just over a week of school left before he left for England and the exams he was giving in his classes he needed to finish grading the exam papers he'd already collected.

X X X X X

For the longest time she'd always wondered what it would be like to be a redhead. She wasn't sure why, but most of the guys she knew seemed to have a thing for redheads. No, that wasn't true, more like they liked girls with exotic hair color. Blond, teal, aqua, violet/purple, and red seemed to be much more appealing to the boys than the usual black hair or brunettes that most Japanese women possessed.

Tonight Shinobu Maehara would be a redhead. It only made sense really. She couldn't go out on the hunt with her new mistress in her usual appearance. With the sheer number of teachers out on patrol it wouldn't take long before one of them pieced together her appearance, even if her black hair that shone blue was very common in Japan.

No, hiding herself under her illusions would make it all the harder for anyone to realize her role in helping Evangeline find suitable prey.

Shinobu glanced up at her new mistress and the short black dress that clung to the voluptuous woman's every curve. The usual power that she radiated was replaced with a nearly irresistible sexual energy. Though the Shinma Vampire was not allowed to take the blood of an unwilling person, Evangeline was definitely fully capable of draining a lover's energy through the act of sex. While the energy would sustain her, it would not help her break the curse that the Thousand Master had placed on her that locked her in the body of a ten year old girl.

"You two look like sisters," the platinum blond stated as she descended the stairs elegantly.

The blunette turned redhead smiled seductively as she eyed the gynoid turned human. With their matching red hair, blue eyes, and similar facial features Shinobu and Chachamaru truly did appear to be sisters.

Though it had taken a while, the gynoid had become accustomed to her human form. Chachamaru now looked forward to the powerful sensations that she experienced in her soft body. The slinky and sexy strapless red dress looked as though it had been sewn on the petite but busty redhead. "I'm ready," Chachamaru declared.

"Good," Evangeline purred as she licked her lips. "It's a good night to hunt."

X X X X X

The seventh floor of Sakura Lane was a buzz as the girls of 2-A gathered in their lounge. The nightly ritual had only recently started but Naru knew why it had started. With three of the girls now taking lessons from Ranma (and Tenma) every night after school and with Tenma and Luke studying with the girls the other girls were curious to hear about, well, everything.

First it had started with just Tenma and Luke, but some of the other boys from the boys' academy would stop requesting to join the Saotome dojo.

With the interactions between the younger students limited, it was no wonder that the girls and boys made the most of every opportunity. Fortunately Ranma had put a stop to the requests quickly after "testing" several potential students very harshly. It quickly became evident to the entire student body of both academies that he was at least twice as serious about the martial arts as he was about the literary arts. Requests for admittance to his dojo had quickly stopped midway through the week.

Still, the girls of 2-A couldn't help but live vicariously through their three peers.

"I don't know what you see in him," Ayaka's voice cut through the chatter of the rest of the class as she turned to her rival. "Tenma's unrefined and boorish. He's handsome, but his mangy hair makes him look like a younger, less sophisticated version of his father. It doesn't help that they have the same hair style – pony tails on men went out last century."

Naru couldn't help but sigh. As someone who sparred with Ranma regularly she knew that Ranma wouldn't tolerate his students picking fights. He had been quick to point out to Ayaka and Asuna that they weren't allowed to fight each other as he wasn't teaching them to beat each other up. Sure, they could 'spar' with each other, but only in the dojo or on his property. In the days after Ayaka had joined Ranma's dojo the number of fights between the rivals had stopped completely. Their quarrels had once been a major disruption to each of their teachers as the two couldn't seem to stop themselves from arguing, arguments that often turned physical (with liberal encouragement from their classmates).

As one of their teachers, Naru had been surprised that she'd managed to complete a single class without them breaking into a fight, but the fact that neither girl had not lifted a finger against the other girl for the entire week thus far was monumental.

Still, the verbal jabs had persisted, though they were less venomous then they were a week ago.

"Just because you're into little boys doesn't mean that I like them young," Asuna retorted. "Tenma's gentle and considerate. And he's very intelligent."

"And he's got amazing blue eyes that make a girl melt," Akira sighed.

Again Naru shook her head. The swimmer bore an uncanny resemblance to a younger Motoko. The structure of her facial features and the way she carried herself were very reminiscent of the slender kendoka. Only the fact that she didn't bind herself and dressed in casual clothes separated her from Motoko, though just like the former Hinata resident the swimmer was very dedicated to her craft.

"True," Ayaka ceded. "But he's not my type."

"Meaning he's too old for you," Asuna jabbed.

"But Tenma says that he's not dating you," Makie interjected.

"What?" several girls exclaimed.

"Yeah," Baka Pink added as all eyes turned to her. "He said that it would be inappropriate for him to date someone he's instructing."

"So he's fair game," one of the other girls muttered just a bit too loudly.

"You know the rule," Ayaka said clearly so that the other girls could hear her, "Asuna's set her sights on him, but neither one has said anything to confirm that they're dating or not. I don't think that either of them has even confessed to the other that they like each other; technically he's fair game."

"Let me talk to him over the summer break," the usually fiery redhead said as her classmates and peers turned to her.

Naru watched as the commanding Class Rep put her hand on the strawberry blonde's shoulder in an unusual display of compassion. Between Asuna's heartfelt plea and the Class Rep's support it appeared that many of the girls had been convinced to at least hold off on making a move.

"You need to do it before the break," Asakura stated. "The summer break's prime time for those of us who are on campus to spend time with the boys we like."

"Tenma's going to be busy instructing Asuna," Haruna interjected. "His training of Asuna directly affects his status as an instructor at the dojo. Asuna's got until the final day of the summer break to prove that Tenma has what it takes to be an instructor."

Ku Fei stood up. "Dojo is important to both father and son," she stated. "Leave affairs of the heart until after summer break."

Several girls turned to their closest friends or roommates, murmering to each other as they considered what Baka Yellow suggested.

"I heard that he's going to enroll immediately after the break," Asakura stated.

"I agree with Ku," Ayaka proclaimed. "Tenma's not a normal case because he's not a student at the boys academy so we'll make an exception for this case. Once he's a student here we'll treat him like another boy at the academy."

A clear majority of the class nodded, though a few looked disappointed.

"Just a reminder that once school starts after the break any boys who were confessed to or who confessed this current term will be removed from the list of candidates that we cannot date," Ayaka added.

"That means that if Asuna confesses to Tenma he's off limits for the rest of the term," Asakura muttered. "That's so unfair."

"She's got one day to make her move," Kaede stated. "But once he's a student he's fair game."

The handful of girls who were disappointed nodded in agreement.

"So, tell us about Luke," one of the other girls demanded, shifting the conversation away from Asuna and Tenma.

The auburn haired dorm mother sighed as she moved on. Girls could be so complicated yet they seemed to find such simple minded guys.

X X X X X

The lingering light of the day shone over the western horizon as the two young men made their way across the residential half of campus. Though the girls that they had accompanied had tried to convince them to stay longer, Tenma knew that Luke had to get to the safe house before he transformed.

Leaping from tree to tree the two speedy martial artists made good time, encountering several teachers that said nothing to them as they rushed towards the safe house. Like all magical schools, Mahora had several different places for their lycanthropy cursed students. Even though Luke could retain mental control of his body even when he was transformed he was still required to wear the magical necklace on the week of the full moon.

"So, Asuna, huh?" the blond werewolf grinned. "How far have you gotten?"

"We're not dating," the raven haired cyborg stated.

"What?"

Silence answered the blond as the pair made their way through the trees.

"Isn't it in your programming?" Luke teased.

The cyborg turned back and glanced at the cursed boy.

"It's the full moon," the blond stated. "I can smell the metal inside of you, though your skin is completely organic, your sweat is very metallic. It gives you away.

"You already know about my curse, what's so big about me knowing about your situation?"

For a moment Tenma pondered the situation. "We're here," he stated as he descended from the trees. Despite his weight he managed to land quietly and gracefully on the ground.

"I'm already sworn to secrecy with your old man," Luke added. "And besides, we're buds, right? What's that saying - *Bros before Hoes*, right?"

The cyborg shook his head. "Be respectful," he admonished his friend.

"Fine," Luke replied as he landed on the ground. "But tell me, how far have you gone with Asuna?"

"We're not dating."

Cool grey eyes locked with blue ones as the two friends stood across from each other. "But all that time you guys are spending together"

"I'm training her because I'm trying to prove myself to my old man," Tenma stated. "It'd be wrong of me to take advantage of my position over Asuna and have a personal relationship with her outside of the dojo."

"Just like how Ranma-sempai wouldn't do that with Shinobu?"

Tenma nodded.

"That's why she left," the blond said as his head bobbed.

The cyborg's silence was answer enough as he'd already made that connection. Still, with the precarious position that his father was in dating a college student, even if he wasn't one of her instructors or teachers, well, the less said the better.

"How far have you and Ako gone?" Tenma asked as he turned to led Luke towards the entrance to the safe house.

"We've only dated for a week," the blond stated as he followed his friend. "Besides, the one I really like is Kaede – she's got a killer rack for someone her age. And she's actually closer to my height too."

The cyborg nodded. There was a significant difference in height between the blond boy and his lilac/grey haired girlfriend, and physically Kaede did seem to match the tall, lanky blond better. "She'd kick your ass."

The blond blinked. "That might be fun," he finally replied with a smirk.

"So why go out with Ako if you like Kaede?"

"Because I heard how close knit 2-A is," the blond explained. "If I shot one down do you think I'd be able to go out with another girl in 2-A? I don't think so. They're notorious for sticking together. You might have heard about that if you were actually in school with us.

"One of the guys in my class shot down one of their girls because he liked another one better but when he asked her out she shot him down because both girls were in 2-A."

"Maybe she didn't like him," Tenma countered.

"No one knows for sure, but they did seem to get along pretty well before when they played basketball," Luke stated. "Now they barely talk at all."

"So, the only reason you're dating Ako is because you don't want to get shot down by Kaede?"

The werewolf shook his head. "Ako's cute, but she's not as hot as Kaede, but she's still cool. Besides, she's the first girl to ask me out. It's not like I have any better options right now. If I had shot her down I would have been out of the running for any of the other girls in 2-A, but by dating her I pretty much eliminate dating any other girl in 2-A as well."

"That logic is faulty."

The blond grinned, "I don't need to be a computer to figure that out."

X X X X X

The light of the day finally gave way to the silvery light of the moon and stars as the lone figure approached the three story building, triggering the magical chime that alerted the owner of the house to his impending guest.

Stiff from hours of grading papers, Ranma stood up. Glancing out of the window by his desk he caught sight of Takahata as the scruffy blond teacher approached the house. "Perfect timing," he muttered as he forced himself out of the plush leather chair. He could feel the familiar stretching of his muscles as he walked down the stairs.

The sound of gentle knocking greeted him as he reached the door, opening it causally. "Hey Takahata," he said, greeting the other man. "When'd you get so tall?"

The blond man froze. "Ranma?"

"Of course," the master martial artist replied.

"You're using an illusion?" the other man asked.

"Nah, it's just you, and it's late enough that no one is going to see me like this. Why?"

"Have you seen your reflection?"

Taking a step back, Ranma allowed his guest inside even as he moved to glance at his reflection. The immortal paused as he took in the bright red hair, perky breasts and very feminine features.

She wasn't sure how long she stared at her reflection as she'd lost any concept of time and space as she gazed into the mirror.

"Dean Konoe was afraid that this would happen," Takahata muttered.

"What?"

"Your old curse was triggered by water, and mermaids are masters of water, so the mermaid's curse shorted out the Jusenkyo curse," the scruffy blond stated. "But the werewolf's curse is different. Your Jusenkyo curse probably super cedes the werewolf's curse, but we're not sure. This has never happened before, so no one knows for sure what's happening."

Ranma nodded even as she staggered towards the kitchen. Grabbing a knife she quickly and skillfully stabbed herself in the arm.

Pain pierced his hazy brain, waking his skull just as the blade in his arm had pierced through the flesh of his arm. The pain seemed to wash away his stupor as he gazed down at the letter opener sticking out of his arm.

"Ranma," his companion called out sleepily, "come back to bed."

Shaking his head he grabbed a nearby towel and pressed it to his wound before pulling out the dull blade. "Gotta grade these papers," he replied, glancing back over his shoulder at his lover as she lay cuddled up on the couch. _'That's right, she came over just after Takahata left.'_

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, the naked blunette slowly sat up.

As she yawned he quickly stashed the bloody towel into his drawer. "Sorry," he apologized as turned his chair around so that he was now facing her. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Hmmm, s'alright," she muttered as she grabbed the light blanket that he used to cover his couch. Still tired, she sauntered over to his chair before lowering herself onto his lap. "Want me to help?"

X X X X X

A/N

Okay, here's the skinny on all the relationships.

Ranma's involved with Shinobu, who is no longer his student. He was friends with benefits with Naru, and he's even proposed that when she's done living her life he'll grant her eternal youth through the magic aging mushrooms. Ranma and Motoko were intimate, but decided to just remain friends afterwards. Because Asuna saw his true form and he was kind to her, she's got a thing for him but thinks that it's Tenma. Naru has specifically told Ranma not to get involved with any of the girls she teaches. In regards to Mana, well, Ranma would rather not get shot.

Naru is currently dating Takahata, but she's known to sabotage her relationships because of her ingrained belief that she shouldn't be happy at the expense of other people she knows.

Takahata is currently in an intimate relationship with Naru Narusegawa. Like Naru, he doesn't think that he deserves to be loved by anyone considering his crime of having wiped Asuna's memory and de-aging her. He actually is in love with Asuna.

Shinobu is secretly seeing Ranma, and has left his dojo to become Evangeline's newest partner.

Tatsumiya Mana has a thing for Ranma, but she's not sure if it's just plutonic or if it might be something more. And she hates to lose.

Asuna has a thing for Tenma even though the person she met a while back is actually Ranma and most of 2-A thinks that Asuna is dating Tenma even though he denies it, making Asuna question her relationship with Tenma.

Makie has a thing for Tenma, but feels guilty about it because he's already dating Asuna.

Yuna also has a thing for Tenma, but like the rest of the girls in 2-A she acknowledges that Asuna has first dibs on Tenma.

Ku Fei also has a thing for Tenma as he's the first boy around her age who's stronger than she is.

Ako is dating Luke.

Luke likes Kaede, but thinks that the only chance he'll have to date a girl in 2-A is to date Ako.

Tenma feels conflicted about dating Asuna because he's instructing her (similar to how Ranma felt about Shinobu) and denies dating her.

I hope this helps. I'll add more later as things change.

Dreamingfox


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Notes –

I knew I should have purchased a snow blower. Back in November I had thought that the then approaching winter would just miss us but that we'd still get a good share of show, then December hit and the few snowfalls we had were easily shoveled aside. Then January hits and we got some big snow storms. Granted, it's worse north of us and south of us and especially out east, but still, it took me 4 hours to shovel out of my driveway a few weeks ago, and then it snowed again a few days later and took me another hour to shovel. Plus the village/city that I'm in doesn't want us to use salt (but calcium chloride works even better).

I'm a winter guy, but even I have limits as to how much winter I want to deal with. It'd be better if I could just shove my wife into a snow bank without having to fear for my life or manhood.

Oh, and back to the fic. Just a reminder that anything in * * is spoken in English unless noted otherwise.

The last bit of the previous chapter was a dream sequence turned reality. No, Ranma's gender/sex changing curse didn't return. I'm just messing with you the reader.

# # # # #

Thick, musky air filled the office, hinting at the late night activities of the occupants as the raven haired man opened the triple paned windows.

"You sure have some strange dreams," Shinobu teased as she quickly donned a fresh sun dress.

"Yeah," her lover remarked as he felt the fresh early morning air flow into the office. "Not that I didn't look good as a woman, but it's kinda creepy."

"Well," the blunette purred as she sauntered over to him, "I for one am glad that you're all man."

A passionate kiss and a playful pat from her gentle hands on the growing bulge in his boxers sent a shiver of pleasure through his body.

Reluctantly Shinobu pulled away, breaking the kiss before darting back towards her duffle bag.

As much as he wanted to do something about her retreat, he couldn't help but enjoy the sight of the buxom blunette as she bent over at the waist before searching her bag for a pair of clean panties. The view itself was spectacular as her oh so short sun dress slowly hiked up the further she bent forward. Yet the dress was just long enough to preserve her modesty, not that she had any modesty with him considering some of the things that they'd done the previous night.

Ranma let out a sigh of contentment as he watched her slide her playful lacy blue panties up her shapely legs as she slowly stood tall.

"As beautiful as you might be as a woman," Shinobu said as she checked her reflection in the mirror, "I'm glad you're not. I might be jealous."

Idly nodding, the raven haired immortal kissed his former student lovingly on the nape of her neck. Though he'd spent much of the night grading the exam papers he'd managed to pull himself away for an hour or so when his lover had slipped into his room. Somehow she'd set up a transportation glyph that worked just for her, allowing her to enter his office through the door to the office closet. The only rest he'd managed had been a short hour or two of sleep after a quick but energetic session with his former student.

The cool night air caressed his sweat soaked skin as it blew through the open window. The brief gust toyed with the hem of Shinobu's dress, lifting it up to expose her light blue panties and the curve where her firm posterior intersected her leg. He couldn't help but watch the breathtaking beauty as she hastily fixed her hair and put on some lipstick.

"You're sure you don't want me to keep track of Tenma while you're gone?" she asked as she finally turned to look at him.

"Tenma's going to be visiting his uncle and aunt," Ranma replied as his feet found his pants. Expertly he managed to get a foot hold on the silky fabric before kicking the article of clothing into the air. Deftly he caught it before putting it back on.

Part of him wanted to tell her what he'd spoken to Takahata about, but he knew that he couldn't talk to her about it. It was a conversation between trusted friends and respected colleague and not something to be shared.

Just as in his dream, the scruffy blond had stopped by while Tenma was out with Luke. The reality of the situation was far different from that of his dream as the scruffy veteran teacher had come not to check up on his friend, but to consult with him about his own relationship. It had been a week or so since Takahata had admitted to Ranma that he was not in love with Naru but was in fact in love with Asuna.

Ranma shook his head, clearing it of those unwanted thoughts.

"I won't be by tonight," Shinobu declared as she grabbed her things and carefully placed them back in her duffle bag. "I've got a study group tonight."

The raven haired man nodded as the blunette walked over to him, lovingly kissing him on the lips before opening the door to the closet. "I've got exams to grade."

A mischievous gleam in her eyes accompanied her delightful smile as she glanced back at him. Wordlessly she vanished into the dark closet, closing the door behind her and teleporting away.

With a sigh he turned back to his task at hand. Though he'd finished grading all of the papers the immortal teacher had not pieced together his lesson plan for the coming week. Not that the boys would be focused on anything but the coming break of course, but he needed to be professional about it.

Glancing at the calendar, he wondered how he would broach the subject of Asuna to Tenma. As a father he was uncertain what limits to set on his cybernetic son, but considering how he'd been when he'd been that age he was fairly certain he could trust Tenma to be alone with the girls. Well, maybe not. He had hoped that the cyborg would follow his lead and not start a personal relationship with his student, but if he were any indication than the possibility remained that Asuna might leave after her duel with the older Saotome just to remove that conflict.

As much as he didn't want to, Ranma knew that he had to quickly stamp out any personal relationship between Asuna and Tenma. The question remained though – how to do it? It was a question that he pondered much of the day as he administered the English exam or allowed his students to have free study for their pending exam. It wasn't until the final bells chimed that he realized how quickly the day flew by.

With his primary duties finished he headed back home. Reacting and acting on impulse he went through the motions of preparing the dojo for his students. Slipping into something more comfortable he waited for his students to arrive. It wasn't until he glanced up at the clock that he realized it would be a long wait before they arrived as many had after school activities or club sports.

Heading into the kitchen he found himself cooking a light meal as he waited for his students. The gentle rapping at the front door startled him from his thoughts and cooking, "One minute."

Before he could even set the wok aside he hear the sound of a key unlocking the front door. A sense of dread filled him as he heard the door open and then close hastily. The ring of solid wood connecting with solid wood greeted his ears. "Naru?"

"Ranma." Her voice trembled as she called out to him.

The auburn beauty practically staggered into the kitchen as she followed his voice and the smell of his cooking. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her so disheveled.

Against her running mascara and the glistening tears in her eyes the immortal martial artist was powerless. All he could do was stand there as she ran to him, embracing him. He could feel her heart pounding, the moisture of her tears soaked through his immaculate shirt, as she clung to him.

"I broke up with Takahata."

He blinked. "What?"

"I broke up with Takahata," she repeated.

"O-kay," he muttered as he hesitantly put his arms around her.

"He's not in love with me," she sobbed. "He only thought he was."

For a moment they stood there, neither saying anything. For a moment the former lovers shared a moment of immense intimacy as one laid bare her soul to the other. Words simply weren't needed as their bond transcended anything that could be shared in any language.

"Thanks," the auburn haired beauty sighed as she pushed away from him. "I needed that."

"Anytime," he replied.

"I ruined your shirt," she stated as she dabbed at the remaining tears in her eyes.

The raven haired immortal simply shrugged. "I've got plenty, and it'll wash out."

Her vulnerability only made her all the more alluring as it reminded him of their rocky past as well as the promise he had made to her. "You know what'll make you feel better?"

"Kicking some ass," she smirked as she finished wiping away her tears. "Just let me change first."

Turning his attention back to the freshly made stir fry he glanced up at the clock. It wouldn't be long before the first of his students arrived. By the time Naru returned he'd finished half of the food, leaving her the other half.

"So," the auburn beauty asked as she took the plate, "what's the plan today?"

"Sparring," he grinned as he led her towards the dojo.

"But we always spar."

"Not like this," he replied, his wicked grin slowly moving to his eyes as an evil glimmer of light appeared. Casually he led her through the dojo and out the back door to the dojo.

"When did you do this?" she muttered as she took in the field.

The vast yard was now split in two by a tall, solid wood fence to her right. The shallow incline remained as the yard flowed away from the building, but nearly fifteen meters away stood several recently planted bamboo plants.

"Tenma's got some free time," the raven haired immortal stated. "But I made a few changes here and there. Beyond the bamboo forest there's a clearing with some pools and bamboo poles and another clearing filled with tree stumps. I used the wood from the trees to make a fence that separates the yard from the dojo."

Pleased with himself, Ranma looked down on the field with a growing sense of pride.

"Don't you think that they might not be ready for this?" his companion asked, slightly taken back by everything before her.

"That's why I insisted that Ako come here," he replied. "She's not an actual nurse, but she seems to know her stuff. Besides, I'm here, and Tenma's nearly as good as I was when I was his age."

"But you never"

"Actually, I did get this far with Shinobu," he interrupted. "A few weeks into her training I had her run across a field of stumps, going from stump to stump, cooking food on both ends of the field."

Naru scanned her memories, trying to recall anything that might give away when that had actually happened. "That's insane."

"It's not even half as bad as some of the stuff I had to do when I was training under my pops," Ranma shrugged.

X X X X X

A nervous excitement was in the air as a majority of the students prepared for their various national competitions. With the end of the spring term and the impending summer break in sight many students were justifiably unfocused for the final week of the term. Try as he might, Ranma just couldn't hold it against them for being so undisciplined. He'd been that way back then too, though for completely different reasons.

As busy as he was with his lessons, exams and summer homework to plan and assign as well as with the dojo Ranma couldn't help but feel a bit relieved when the final bell tolled, ending the spring term. For the next five weeks he'd be free from his responsibilities as a teacher.

Grabbing his pack, he immediately set off for the girls' junior high school. Warm July air greeted him as he exited the building as a playful breeze crossed the open grounds of the boys' junior high school. Waving at a handful of students as he blew by them, Ranma made good time, meeting up with his companions for his international trip.

"Ranma," the auburn haired beauty greeted as she exited the girls' junior high school.

"Uncle."

"Naru, Haruna," he greeted as he waved at them. "You two ready?"

"What's the rush?" Narusegawa teased as Ranma finally came to a stop.

"It's a twelve hour flight, plus there's an hour of waiting before we even board the plane," the raven haired man stated. "Even with the time difference we'll just make it to London for the midnight release."

"You know," the shortest of the three said as she looked up at her uncle, "if we waited at a book store here we'd only have to wait another eight hours."

The immortal scowled as he eyed his niece.

"They're even releasing the English version of the book," the mangaka pointed out.

"Yeah," Ranma muttered, "but since I was going to be in Europe anyways I figured I might as well get the books while I was out there."

"Books?" Naru remarked.

Beaming with pride, the immortal grinned. "I ordered three copies."

Though he put up a brave front, Ranma couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as the trio of travelers made their way to the airport. As excited as he was to read the newest Harry Potter book the immortal knew that the real reason for his trip was to bring his son back to Japan - a son that he hadn't seen in over four months.

The collection of Harry Potter books on CD by his side helped calm him, though it paled when compared to the effect that practicing the art had. Then again, he really couldn't leap around a flying airplane or even in the terminal as he waited to board the plane. This particular collection was in English, but he also had one in German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and French. He'd ordered three of each version to help improve his command of each language – one to use as a text book, one to read, and one on CD for the times when he traveled.

Still, the long flight would definitely try his patience. Never before had he remained seated for such a long time.

X X X X X

London. What was there to say about the historic city that hadn't already been said? Though it was his first time in London, he couldn't help but be awestruck by all the sights, even if it was hard for him to see past all the taller people around him. Gazing up at the multitude of tall but not towering buildings in the city he couldn't help but feel moved by the tradition and majesty of the city.

Unfortunately he wasn't in London to do any sightseeing. Not that the middle of the night was the best time to be touring the city. With a week left before they returned to Japan there was certainly time for them to explore London and England later. Right now he had to find the place he was supposed to meet his escort, a task made all the harder by the fact that he couldn't see past the throng of people around him.

It felt strange really. Back in Japan he'd never thought about his height outside of a spar or fight. Then again it didn't really matter when one ran across the roofs or on the fence, but lost in the midst of the sea of people the immortal master martial artist felt misplaced and isolated.

Even the train and subway system in England felt vastly different than they did back in Japan. Though many of the people he'd run across did seem to be very much the ideal of the English Gentleman and the English Lady as they helped direct the trio of Japanese travelers to the quiet suburb that they were to be staying in. It almost made up for the fact that he couldn't jump from roof to roof, though he had come to learn that such behavior was rude and disrespectful of the owners of the house/fence that he'd run/walked on.

*We're here,* he stated.

The two story red brick building appeared plain and ordinary next to the recently renovated or newly built buildings around the district. Faded bricks, lose shingles and a crumbling chimney made it appear unkempt and forgotten. Only the pale white lamp in the yard suggested that there was someone home waiting for the road wiry travelers.

"This is it?" Haruna asked.

"Why didn't we come here first?" the fiery auburn haired woman demanded as she leaned against the younger girl.

"I had to get the book," Ranma stated, the book in question currently in his left hand.

"What is it with you and Harry Potter?" Haruna muttered as she stifled a yawn.

The immortal simply shrugged. "We'll be staying here," he stated as he approached the door. Without even reaching for the knob the door opened, allowing the trio of wiry travelers into the overlooked building.

An empty room greeted them, though Ranma noted that the light in the yard faded away once they were all inside. Without any obvious reason the front door closed behind Naru, startling the two women.

*Ranma,* a familiar voice called out.

*Wilhelm,* the immortal greeted. *Naru, Haruna, this is our host, Count Wilhelm Herrman.*

*It's a pleasure to meet you,* the demon in human form smiled. "Your rooms are down the hall."

"Thank you," Naru said with a tired, grateful bow.

"Thank you," Haruna repeated.

The immortal and the demon locked eyes for a moment, an uneasy air between them. "Hiro's in the room at the end of the hallway. He's asleep right now, but I'm sure you'll be able to catch up with him in the morning."

X X X X X

The warm golden light of day filled the office, highlighting the dusty shelves that lined the spacious room for the three individuals gathered. For the first time in a long time the ancient magi sat back in his plush chair, a look of true concern on his weathered face as he eyed his second in command and his trusty right hand man.

"You're certain that it's her?" the scruffy blond asked as he scrutinized the packet of pictures in his hand.

"Yes," the old man replied as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the oak desktop. "That's clearly Evangeline, but the other two…"

"Red heads, but no one I've run across," his second in command stated. As one of the proud Shinmeiryu swordswomen, Toko Kuzunoha was an expert at hunting the creatures of the night. "If they're using magic then it's nothing like anything I've ever seen before."

The scruffy blond glanced up at her, then back at the photos in his hands. "If only Ranma were here," he muttered. "He's the master of illusions."

"Saotome?" Toko scoffed.

Dean Konoe nodded, "He's more than just a simpleminded martial artist. Your own mistress attests that despite his rank he exceeds her own ability. Even Eishun and Tsuruko profess that he possesses a cunning mind that is well versed in more than just the physical arts."

Reprimanded, Toko bowed her head. Though she knew Ranma and often worked with him, she knew that she lacked a personal relationship with the immortal master martial artist. The fact that he'd been intimate with the current leader of the Shinmeiryu had meant that others from the Shinmeiryu would not involve themselves personally with him or his associates. Even the handful of males in the Shinmeiryu couldn't bring themselves to befriend him for fear of incurring the wrath of either the current leader or the two previous leaders.

"They always strike at the full moon," Dean Konoe stated. "But recently their number has increased to three. I want to find out who she is and why she's involved with Evangeline."

Both Toko and Takahata nodded.

"It's another three weeks until the next full moon," the Dean stated. "Ranma should be back by then, and so will Springfield's son. I think it's more important that Ranma protect Negi than get involved with the investigation."

"I thought we were going to have Negi keep the fact that he's a magi secret from anyone not in the Association," Toko interjected.

The blond shot the raven haired woman a curious look.

"Everyone knows that Saotome's a wild card," she explained. "He even sent his son to be taught by a demon for three years."

"Yes," Dean Konoe muttered, "he'll be busy keeping his son in line too."

Sighing, the old man closed his eyes for a moment as he contemplated his options. "Tell the Sisters to strengthen the barrier," he ordered. "When Negi arrives I'll put a charm on him personally, that should keep Eva from hurting him until he can defend himself from her."

"Why no ask that Ranma instruct him?" Takahata suggested. "He doesn't have to teach Negi magic, but if he can learn some of the art from Ranma he'll be better prepared for her when she comes after him. Besides, he'll have three students learning beside him."

Silence filled the room as the Dean considered Takahata's idea. "It has some merit to it… Fine, inform Saotome when he gets back."

"Will we tell him about Evangeline?" Toko asked.

"Not yet," the Dean muttered. "He's supposed to focus on his primary task of being a teacher first. Hopefully once he's proved that he's capable of dealing with that and being a mage he should be ready to deal with Evangeline. We just have to make sure she's not feeding on anyone with power.

"Tell Professor Akashi to update his list of all the students with magical ability. I want them all to be informed of the danger they're in without giving away the fact that we've got the a wanted criminal in their midst."

X X X X X

Pale golden light crept in through the window as the light of the coming dawn seeped through the cloudy sky, illuminating the young boy's light brown hair for the young man seated in the chair beside the bed.

'_He looks nothing like me,'_ Ranma mused as he took in his son's visage. It wasn't the first time that he questioned the boy's looks if not his origin, nor would it be the last. _'I wonder who his mother is. Was she just some girl who wanted a child? Or was she a martial artist? Could he have sunk so low as to simply created a person with the cursed water?'_

Watching as the blankets rose and fell with each breath Ranma couldn't help but smile at the ten year old boy as he slept. Despite his doubts he couldn't help but feel comforted by the fact that there would be someone to carry on the family name when he felt it was time to finally move on.

*You stayed up all night,* a deep yet smooth voice declared. *And don't tell me that it was because you were reading _that_ book. Even you can't read in the dark.*

*Brail?* he teased.

The well groomed man stood silently. *Your boy is talented.*

*I'll have to break him out of his habit of just boxing,* Ranma corrected.

*It's a noble art,* Wilhelm countered.

*It's only one of the many that he'll learn.*

X X X X X

Though the sunlight warmed her skin, she felt unusually cold inside. For the past few months Mahora had been her home. But for the first time since she'd moved here the blunette felt lonely. Perhaps that was why her mistress insisted that she go somewhere with her fellow college students over the summer break. Yet the prospect of going off to enjoy the start of the summer with her peers and classmates just didn't seem to be as fun and enjoyable to her. Not as fun as a trip to Europe would have been.

With a heartfelt sigh the blunette glanced back at the world tree, the most visible landmark in Mahora, as she stepped onto the train.

Though she'd formed many bonds since leaving the Hinata Sou, she knew that the only way to deepen and strengthen those bonds was to put more effort into establishing them. This trip would just be one of the many that she'd probably take in her time as a college student.

X X X X X

'Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, or something like that,' the raven haired immortal though with a satisfied smile as he deftly avoided a swift punch.

Few of those who claimed to know him truly understood the importance of the Art and its impact on Ranma Saotome's life. It was more than just a guideline for his personal code of honor or a formula for how to deal with or react in certain situations – the Art was his life.

While most practitioners would feel good after a good work out (because the endorphins released helped one feel better or happier) the Art did more than that. Though he was capable of clearing his mind of all his worldly concerns, it was through the Art that he was able to focus on any of his multitude of issues and concerns and thus find a reasonable solution to his problems. With his blood pumping and his body running on automatic he was capable of solving any problem that he was presented with be it a personal problem, a challenge brought on by an opponent, or even an advance physics equation. Unfortunately getting up and practicing the Art in the middle of an exam was strongly discouraged, and doing so in the middle of defending a thesis was frowned upon.

But the Art allowed him to do much more than just think, it allowed him to communicate without having to carefully articulate an argument.

Few who had known him in Nerima would have thought that he possessed the mental aptitude to be proficient in another language, yet he'd mastered several different languages. Few thought he'd be just as capable of winning a debate as he was a physical fight, but he'd proven everyone wrong. Ranma Saotome hadn't chosen to teach another language because he loved learning or teaching those languages – no, he'd become a linguistics teacher so that he could better communicate with others.

Looking back at his time in Nerima, Ranma could honestly say that he had been at fault for many of the things that had happened. Had he simply stood his ground on various issues some of the incidents might not have happened. Had he been able to speak without putting his foot in his mouth he might have avoided some of the hits that Akane had walloped him with.

It was only against the likes of Ryoga, Kuno, and Mousse that he'd been able to convey his unspoken thoughts and emotions as he fought against them, though it only occurred a few times out of the seemingly hundreds of times that they'd fought. Still, as masters of their art they'd been able to bond with him. Sure, most of the time they were willing to throw him under the bus or stab him in the back just to win over the affections of whomever it was that they liked, but hey, all's fair in love and war.

The strange comrade that they shared as fellow masters of their style had bound them together none the less.

It was the same type of bond that Ranma was currently seeking to build with his youngest son as he sidestepped a punch from the brunette boy before him.

"You're throwing your entire body into the punch," he stated as he assessed his son's attack. "You're telegraphing it way too soon." Expertly he countered with a swift poke to the boy's ribs. "And you leave yourself vulnerable to a counter for far too long."

Hiro shrugged off the half-hearted attack, pulling his extended arm back before assuming his boxer's stance.

Swift jabs peppered the air, forcing the older and taller Saotome back.

The experienced immortal didn't doubt for one second that had his son been able to connect with any of the multitude of punches that Hiro would have been able to knock someone out, but Ranma wasn't like everyone else. Despite his son's surprisingly quick hand speed, it was clear that the gap between them was insurmountable. And yet Hiro was undeterred, relentlessly throwing swift punches at his father's retreating form.

As a father Ranma couldn't help but feel an immense sense of pride as he danced around his son's attacks. With each passing moment the boy was adapting and improving, forcing his father to adjust just to stay ahead of him.

'He's better than I was at his age,' the immortal master surmised as he dodged his son's attacks. 'Now if only he'd learn to use another style. Still, I managed to learn several styles in Japan when I was his age.'

With casual ease he floated around a right cross to left uppercut combo before lashing out with a swift sweep, knocking his son off his feet and sending him tumbling into the dirt.

"You're such a bully uncle," Haruna snipped.

Ranma watched as his niece approached the boy and attempted to help him to his feet. Stubbornly Hiro shook his head, refusing to accept any assistance before springing to his feet.

"Wanna try your hand at him?" Ranma asked, a knowing grin on his face.

Haruna quickly shook her head, answering him.

"At least show him some kicks," Ranma ordered.

"I think Narusegawa-sensei is better suited for that," she replied.

"She's not an instructor," he countered.

He could see the trepidation in his niece as she eyed the youngest Saotome.

"Why don't you have some breakfast first," another voice interjected.

The three Saotomes looked up at the auburn haired beauty standing in the doorway.

Grateful to not have to instruct, Haruna nodded, "Why don't we try the local cuisine for breakfast?"

X X X X X

Cool, dry, dusty air filled the cavernous room, a stark contrast to the hot, humid, fluid air on the other side of the insulated concrete wall. Though the building protected the books from the weather and the air, it failed to protect them from the misuse at the hands of the youthful students that frequented the building and the island.

Summer break left the island and the library virtually empty. Even the dedicated members of the Library Exploration Club were lured away from the countless volumes of books by the fair weather and merry atmosphere of the beaches and market places.

Despite the weather, or perhaps because of it, two figures stood alone in the spacious room.

"This is all the data they have in the library about Shinma?" the tiny vampire scoffed.

"Yes Mistress," the redheaded girl stated. "I did just as you instructed and took all the volumes with any mention of vampires and Shinma and replaced them with the false books."

The platinum blond smirked. "We'll keep playing it safe for now," Evangeline stated, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "She's proven to be a better catch than I expected and I won't let her get away just yet."

The redhead bowed her head. Despite her token display of obedience the gynoid turned human couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. Loyalty to her mistress superceded any loyalty she had to the blunette, even if Shinobu happened to be her mistress' newest partner. Bound as she was to the tiny vampire she knew that she knew that she was supposed object to any of her mistress' wishes, yet doubt began to well inside of her.

Still, it wasn't as if her mistress was harming Shinobu, not yet at least.

X X X X X

The cavernous building felt cold and sterile to the young man as he scanned the empty interior. A scant few hours ago the empty seats had been filled with observers taking in the competition, their polite applause filling the stadium as they encouraged the young women gathered from throughout the country.

"I should have done better," the petite pinkette beside him exclaimed.

"You were an alternate for the Mahora squad," the raven haired boy stated. "You did better than anyone expected you to do. Besides, it's your first time on the national stage, everyone gets nervous."

"Saotome-sensei doesn't," the girl pouted.

Tenma could only scoff at her claim. "There's so much you don't know about my old man," he sighed. "Even when he was our age he wasn't perfect, and he's definitely not perfect now. Just as long as you did your best.

"Besides, you did the best of all the Mahora girls here – and you only earned your spot here as an alternate. Think of how much better you'll be next year."

Tentatively she nodded. Though disappointed at having been eliminated after the second round of cuts, it was clear that the Mahora squad had shown significant improvement when compared to how their representatives had faired the previous year. "Thank you."

An unexpected warmth radiated from her lips as she smiled, spreading to the cyborg's face and chest as he stood mere centimeters away from her. "Um," he stammered unexpectedly, "you're wel"

The feel of soft lips pressed against his abruptly silenced him as the petite gymnast stood on her tiptoes to make up for the difference in their height.

"come," he finished as she suddenly pulled away. Blinking, he watched as the strawberry blond Asuna retreated. Startled by the unexpected kiss, he barely processed the fact that it had been Makie who had initiated the kiss but it was Asuna who had broken it.

The warmth of her lips remained on his now hot lips as he found himself touching his own lips.

Cold water rained down on his head, drenching him.

"Sorry," the familiar voice of his primary student cried out.

The feel firm hands dabbing away the remnants of the spilt juice with a cloth quickly woke the slumbering cyborg.

"It's alright," Tenma muttered as he checked his internal clock and GPS_. 'I've been asleep for 89 minutes,' _he mused_. 'We're almost in Tokyo.'_

"Finally up dude," the scrawny blond boy said with a smirk.

"Long night," the cyborg stated. "I had to see the old man and Haruna to the airport."

"Why didn't he take you with him?" Asuna interjected as she finished wiping the juice off of his face.

Tenma shrugged. "I didn't want to go."

"But you brother"

"I've never met him," Tenma interjected, cutting off Konoka. "I figure dad needs some time with Hiro before he introduces us."

"What kind of father would do that to his sons?"

Tenma knew that Asuna had a grudge against his father. As an orphan she felt that family was important and the idea that the Saotome family was so distant was simply alien to her. Never mind that Tenma really wasn't Ranma's son and was more of a mechanical clone or the fact that Hiro, Ryoko, and Akira each had different mothers (and that Ranma had given his other children to his best friend to raise as his own). No, the Saotome family was far from typical, but Tenma had resolved to keep those secrets within the family.

"I know," Asuna sighed, "you hate talking about your family, but it's just…"

"Different," he finished. "We're not normal – individually or as a whole."

He didn't have to see the chocolate haired Konoka's hand on her fiery roommate's arm to know or understand why Asuna had gone silent and not pressed the issue. It really wasn't a conversation to have in the middle of a crowded train though, but the hotheaded girl didn't always understand that some conversations weren't meant to be discussed just anywhere. In a way it was endearing, yet completely frustrating at the same time as well as it reminded him a bit too much of his 'father' and of his father's first and second loves.

"Can't you two keep it in today?" Luke asked as he inserted himself in the conversation. "We're here to support Makie and the other members of the Rhythmic Gymnastics team from Mahora, not settle your lovers' quarrel."

The usually stubborn strawberry blond turned a shade of red as the other members of 2-A present moved to obstruct her should she decide to give in to her desire to pummel the lanky blond boy.

"It looks like you've managed to impress upon her Sensei's teachings," the werewolf said with a smirk as he retreated behind his girlfriend for good measure. "Or is it the way you're teaching her?"

Tenma lashed out with the wet cloth, planting it squarely on the taller boy's forehead with a casual flick of his wrist. "Like you said, we're here to support Makie and the others."

X X X X X

An all encompassing warmth flooded her entire body and being despite the hazy sky overhead. What she felt had nothing to do with the weather around her, no, it was something she felt as she watched Ranma and Hiro spar.

It was moments like these that she realized just how much the art mattered to her former lover. For all his preaching about how the art allowed him to transcend various barriers the former gravure model rarely believed him. Though she was an artist herself she but a novice singer compared to Ranma as her own songs did little more than sooth her handful of fans. Watching as Ranma and Hiro reconnected through their art she couldn't help but feel inadequate.

That was why she'd broken up with him in the first place, why she'd tried to force Motoko on him as a substitute for herself all those years ago after she'd discovered his curse. Ranma was more than just a master at his art, he was a master piece while she was just a broken, confused girl. Like a master piece he would withstand the test of time while her songs would be forgotten in a few more months at best.

"You love him," a gentle voice intruded.

"That's why I can't be with him," the auburn haired beauty said clearly and confidently as though she were trying to convince herself more than she was Haruna.

"I know about the curse," the mangaka stated, "and the illusions - everything."

"Then you know why I can't be with him."

The mischievous mangaka smirked, "If there's one thing I've learned about Uncle it's that anything is possible if you set your mind to it."

"But that's Ranma," Naru countered. "He's the one who can do anything while everyone else just tries their best not to be left too far behind."

"Then why did you come here?"

The math teacher smiled sadly, "Someday you'll understand."

"Why?" the younger girl demanded. "Because I'm just a girl?"

Naru shook her head, "Because you haven't been in love before."

X X X X X

Though they were only a few train stops away from the Tokyo the reality of the significance from life in the quant and peaceful Mahora and the bustling metropolis was evident in the constant hum of traffic and bustle of the hurried crowds. Awe-inspiring skyscrapers loomed overhead at every step cutting a distinct skyline for the young travelers.

Unfortunately for the group they had little time to enjoy the sights as they were intent on supporting their friends and classmates. Outside of the arena, the hotel, and the short walk that connected the two sites the gathered teens had yet to see anything of the city, something that was about to change today.

"Don't be so down," the lilac haired girl said as she tried to cheer her best friend and roommate up.

"Yeah," the chocolate haired girl chimed in, "you made it to the third round and managed to earn the highest score in the ribbon."

Their words of comfort echoed eerily in the cyborg's ears as he walked ahead of them.

"I'm no expert," the strawberry blond beside him muttered in a hushed tone, "but after the work Saotome-sensei put her through I expected her to win."

Tenma's blue eyes met Asuna's fake blue ones before he glanced at Makie. "She's good, but she's nowhere near in my old man's league. This is the first time Makie's made it to this level of competition; for her first time she did pretty well. She'll do better next time."

"Hey," Luke interjected, "why don't we enjoy the pool today? It's not like we have anything else to do today and leaving now would put our rooms to waste."

"Ooh," several girls exclaimed.

"That's a good idea," Asakura seconded, a suspicious grin on her face.

"But some of us didn't pack swimsuits," Makie protested.

"The hotel store sells some," Konoka suggested. "There are also a few stores around that sell them."

Asakura nodded. "Shopping and going to the pool with boys is the best way to leave your worries behind."

X X X X X

Despite his own apprehension, Ranma found the days in England quickly melting away as he became better acquainted with his son through the art. But it wasn't just the physical arts that he and the others used to help bridge the gap between the displaced boy and themselves.

Naru's love of music and singing combined with Hiro's quick aptitude and keen mind and ears brought the boy closer to the former idol as she played the piano or flute. It was her music and not the hours upon hours of intense sparring that would lull Hiro to sleep at night.

And it was Haruna's art that entertained him when he sought to engage his mind in matters not related to the martial arts. Her clever stories weren't limited to just manga, though they often resembled bits from her favorite stories. But her stories weren't just fictional. Though often unabashed and shameless, Haruna was able to tell little Hiro about his extended family as well as her stiff uncle in a way that his years of studying other languages couldn't begin to do. As articulate as he could be, he couldn't open up to the boy about everything without coming off as a bit too gruff or arrogant. Perhaps it was because of the example that Genma had set with him, something he'd failed to realized he'd done with Tenma until he'd finally seen how relaxed Hiro was with his cousin.

"I guess that's what it means to be a father," the gentle voice of his former lover exclaimed.

Ranma couldn't help but smile at her assessment. For the first time since he'd known that he was a father the immortal martial artist felt proud. He couldn't help but feel grateful to be sharing such an intimate moment with Naru. The feel of her soft yet firm hand in his own as she leaned against him sent a warmth through his arm that flooded his entire being. "I guess I really am taking after my old man. Just stop me if you see me rounding up some cats."

Naru smirked, "I'm sure Haruna's already told him about that particular incident. I know she's told him not to even bring any cat around as possible pets."

Despite himself Ranma smirked. Though it had been awhile since he'd gone Neko, he still flinched whenever a cat came too close to him. "Tomorrow's our last day here," he stated, shifting the subject.

The auburn haired beauty nodded. "Then we fly back to Japan. Too bad we didn't get to see too much of London."

Ranma shrugged. "We've got all of tomorrow before we meet up with Negi Springfield."

"Negi," she muttered. "It doesn't sound English."

He smirked. "Yeah, it sounds more Japanese."

They stood there for a few more minutes, enjoying the intimacy and closeness of the special moment, watching as Haruna showed Hiro her drawings.

"It looks like he's getting tired," she stated.

"Thank you," he muttered before releasing her hand.

He watched as the auburn beauty entered the room.

"We've got a long day tomorrow," she stated, reaching out her hand to take the young boy's.

The brunette boy nodded once before standing up. With his hand still in hers, he followed her out of the room and towards his bedroom. As they passed, Ranma reached out, ruffling his son's spiky hair even as he flashed the boy a warm smile. "Nite."

Though Hiro could have shied away from the contact, he stood his ground unflinchingly, enduring the playful and affectionate display impassively. "Good night."

X X X X X

Prior to his current trip to London, Ranma had never traveled as far west as England. The handful of times he'd come to Europe had brought him to Germany, Austria, and Norway, each country with a culture all their own. London was majestic city with a history and tradition that was completely unique. Had the circumstances been different the immortal traveler was sure that he would have been more interested in seeing the sights and exploring the foreign capital. With all that was going on with his son though Ranma had long ago decided that sightseeing was secondary.

Though Hiro seemed to open up during their sparring matches outside of it he was emotionless. It was only when he was listening to Naru sing or play music, or when Haruna shared her stories with him that he showed any emotion. Had he not known that Hiro was that way with the Count, Ranma might have found it unusual.

For the entire day Ranma found himself in the role of spectator as he watched Haruna and Naru lead Hiro around London on a tour of the various sights and historical buildings. The more he observed Hiro the more he wondered if the boy wasn't actually a cyborg like Tenma. Taking every opportunity presented to him the master martial artist employed his extensive knowledge of the human anatomy to scan the boy.

He could find no reason for Hiro's thus far unusual behavior. No cybernetic implants, demonic or supernatural influence – nothing could explain why Hiro appeared to be as cold and calculating as Tenma.

So focused on discovering the truth behind Hiro's behavior was he that the master of many arts failed to notice that there were others who had picked up on his own erratic behavior.

Slender fingers interlocked with his own as he watched his son systematically attack his dinner (burger and chips). The intimate touch was a stark contrast to the methodical destruction of Hiro as he consumed his meal, showing no joy or pleasure from partaking in the meal. True, the meal itself was uninspiring, but if there was one thing Ranma knew it was that all Saotomes enjoyed their food (unless it was horribly charred or completely inedible).

"I wonder who his mother was," the auburn haired woman pondered aloud as she dipped a chip into the ketchup on her plate with her other hand.

"I never met her," stated the youngest Saotome as he paused, an unusual flicker of emotion on his face as he paused mid-meal. "The doctor only told me about father."

Ranma inhaled deeply, unsure what to say or do. He wasn't sure how much time had passed but he found himself taking a bite of his cheese burger. The fact that he'd released Naru's hand had completely slipped his mind until he realized that he was using both hands to hold his food.

Following his lead, the others slowly finished the rest of their meal in silence.

"So," said Haruna as someone finally broke the silence, "when do we meet the new English teacher?"

"He's supposed to meet us here," explained Naru. "We'll actually meet him right before we board the airplane."

"What's he look like?" asked the curious girl.

"No idea," shrugged Ranma. "All we got was his name and that the Dean wants him to live with me since there aren't any rooms available at the dorm and no apartments open."

*Um,* a soft voice interjected. *You're Japanese, are you not?*

The quartet of travelers turned to look at the new speaker only to find a young boy roughly as old as Hiro. His brunette hair was shorter and better kept than Hiro's wild hair, and the crisp English he spoke as well as the way he held himself suggested that he'd learned proper manners, something that most Saotomes lacked.

*Yes,* replied Ranma. A quick glance around the area told him that they weren't the only Japanese group at the terminal as there were many others who were waiting for the flight from London to Tokyo.

A warm smile formed on the boy's face, spreading to his hazel eyes, "I'm looking for Ranma Saotome."

The boy's crisp Japanese surprised the immortal, prompting him to reevaluate the boy. Though he appeared to be no older than Hiro he was considerably shorter. The well groomed boy wore what was for him a long khaki trench coat that matched his khaki shorts, and the white button up shirt. Despite his age he appeared to be very much the ideal English gentleman. Only long the long staff strapped to his large back pack suggested that there was something more to him.

"You're Negi Springfield," concluded Ranma.

The boy's smile broadened. "I'm pleased to meet you Saotome-sensei. I was told to look for a distinguished Japanese man and a beautiful auburn haired woman."

Naru couldn't help but blush at the boy's obvious flattery. Clearly Takahata had been the one to contact Negi.

*I'm pleased to meet you Negi Springfield,* the immortal replied. *I am Ranma Saotome, and this is Naru Narusegawa. This is my son Hiro Saotome and my niece Haruna Saotome.*

*It's a pleasure to meet you*

*Call me Ranma,* instructed the immortal.

*Ranma,* bowed the polite boy.

'This is going to be a long term,' Ranma thought as he watched Negi exchange greetings with the others. 'He's clearly a mage, but Takahata didn't say anything about him being a kid or a mage. Just what the hell did I sign up for?'

X X X X X

A/N

I'll leave things here for now. Enjoy.

Dreamingfox


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Notes –

Tax season is almost over – woo hoo!

Didn't get as much this year as last, but I've got most of what I need already.

Not looking forward to all the yard work that comes with Spring and Summer though. But so it goes.

# # # # #

Time – the system of those sequential relations that any event has to any other, as past, present or future; indefinite and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another; duration regarded as belonging to the present life as distinct from the life to come or from eternity; a system or method of measuring or reckoning the passage of time.

Time, it was really a simple concept, one that Tenma Saotome understood very well. Yet for all that he understood about it, he'd never understood the saying "Time flies by when having fun" until now.

The first half of the first week of the summer break seemed to fly by as the group from Mahora first headed into Tokyo to support Makie and the others at the Rhythmic Gymnastics meet before going to support Akira at the swim meet. The time at the hotel's pool had also been enjoyable, as was the trip to the beach before they finally returned to Mahora.

Honestly, Tenma had expected his time with the girls to end there as he headed off to visit his aunt and uncle and to help out at their restaurant. The past few days had flown by for Tenma as the few customers on hand spoke to him about their various experiences with his father. Many had initially mistaken him for his father upon seeing him, but after explaining that he was not Ranma they immediately guessed that he was his son.

It had taken him less than an hour to get into the flow of things, a minor feat considering how empty the restaurant was on week days. Thought he work barely kept him busy, the ability to visit and converse with other fighters was very welcome.

The familiar jingling of the bells over the main door signaled the arrival of another customer, prompting the young cyborg to pop his head out from behind the grill. "Welcome," greeted Tenma as he took in the woman before him. Standing tall, she held herself with the pose of a practiced fighter. Her red hakama, silvery-pink gi, and the ornate scabbard suggested that she was more than just a swordswoman. Clearly she was a master if not the head of a school or clan.

The elegant woman paused as she looked at him, something that many of those who knew his father did when the spotted him. "You must be Tenma," the proud woman stated. "I'm a friend of your father's."

"Motoko," the proprietor and host of the restaurant called out as he appeared at the kitchen door. "It's good to see you. Tenma, this is Motoko Aoyama."

"The current leader of the Shinmeiryu," stated the cyborg as he placed her face and name. "My apologies," head bowed slightly, he purposely strode towards her. "Please, have a seat at the grill."

"Actually," the proud woman said as she stepped past the threshold of the restaurant, "I'm not alone."

A second woman appeared behind the Shinmeiryu head. Like Motoko she wore a hakama, but her gi was a soft white and her scabbard was a plan pitch black. Behind her a younger girl, this one perhaps no older than Asuna and her classmates, also dressed in a hakama and gi entered the restaurant.

"Toko Kuzunoha," the powerful woman said as she inclined her head slightly, "I'm an associate of your father's."

Tenma returned the gesture. Officially she was the Mahora kendo team's coach. Unofficially she was the second in command of operations at Mahora.

"Setsuna Sakurazaki," the girl said, her fake brown eyes locking with his blue ones.

Having spent so much time around Asuna, Tenma had become accustomed to seeing someone with colored contacts. It was clear to his perceptive eyes that the young swordswoman was also hiding her eyes for some reason.

"You're a day early," the always cheerful master of the grill stated as she appeared beside her nephew.

"I wanted to make sure that there'd be a seat for us tomorrow." A warm smile passed between the two women. "And I wanted Kuzunoha-san and Sakurazaki-chan to enjoy your wonderful cuisine. As experienced as they may be I'm sure that they'll be preoccupied tomorrow."

"So you wish to have Sakurazaki-chan test herself against Tenma?" Konatsu asked as he eyed the pale girl.

"Times have changed," Motoko grinned mischievously, "Ranma isn't around as much as he used to be, and word has spread that his eldest son is here. The weather looks promising as well."

He knew enough of the Grill's reputation to make the connection. The grill was one of the few places where martial artists of any school could come for a peaceful spar. While most dojos officially supported inter-dojo sparring, few actually allowed it within their own doors, thus the appeal that Saotome's had for various schools and masters as it allowed them to freely spar without consequence.

It helped that his aunt and uncle were accomplished martial artists in their own right, and that they were friends with masters of other schools as well. But it was Ranma Saotome who brought in many of the others. Within the select world of master level martial artists only he had mastered so many different schools and styles of martial arts.

Yes, Sunday really would be interesting.

X X X X X

Saturdays were usually a day full of hustle and bustle at Sakura Lane. Between the morning of classes and the afternoons dedicated to club or team activities the girls who called the dorm their home were often seen rushing in and out of the building as they dashed off to their various activities. But today was different.

With the end of the spring term and the start of the summer break the girls' schedules had changed. The few who remained on campus had little to do during the first week. While most who weren't participating in one of the various sports competitions and hadn't gone to cheer/support their peers Saturdays were usually a day full of hustle and bustle at Sakura Lane. Between the morning of classes and the afternoons dedicated to club or team activities the girls who called the dorm their home were often seen rushing in and out of the building as they dashed off to their various activities. But today was different. The few who remained on campus had little to do during the first week. That was true of those who had returned to the campus and dorms early as well.

Unlike most Saturdays, this particular one was dreadfully slow. While most of their peers were out frolicking at the beaches or soaking in an onsen somewhere, the handful of 2-A girls were simply sitting around World Tree Plaza with little to do.

Well, most had little to do.

Asuna lazily watched as her former rival and fellow student slapped aside a palm strike from her shorter opponent. With a yawn the strawberry blond observed how the taller blond flipped over the shorter blond before throwing a spinning high kick.

Playfully Ku Fei rolled out of the path of the leggy blonde's kick before springing to her feet. "Class Rep improve much," grinned the playful kung fu master. "Saotome-sensei has taught you much."

The taller girl nodded, barely breathing hard despite the frantic pace of the light sparring session.

All around them a few of the other girls from 2-A were seated, some fascinated by the fight others like Asuna only mildly interested. The junior swim champion, Akira Okochi, sat beside her friends Makie and Ako. Of course if Ako was present then so was the blond foreigner she called her boyfriend.

Baka Black sat beside her best friend and roommate, while Baka Blue leaned against the tree.

"I hear that Saotome's Grill is supposed to be a restaurant catered towards martial artists," Luke stated as he watched the fight intently. "It'd be a great place for you to test yourself."

"Sounds fun," exclaimed Baka Yellow as she slipped under the Class Rep's kick and countered with a sweep that sent the taller girl sprawling.

"Tenma says that they only have open sparring on Sundays," the foreign boy explained. "He's still going to be there tomorrow."

"That's a good idea," exclaimed Baka Pink, surprising everyone. "I hear their food is second to none."

"Haruna did say that she'd be heading there once she got back from England today," stated Baka Black, adding more incentive for the group to head over that way.

"That probably means that Saotome-sensei will be headed there too," the class Paparazzi noted. "Didn't he say that he was going to London to get his other son?"

"You should go," Konoe whispered into the strawberry blonde's ear.

Asuna had nearly forgotten that her best friend and roommate was sitting beside her. The usually giggly girl had been silent much of the day, absorbed as she was in reading the latest Harry Potter book.

"Tenma's never met his brother," the chocolate haired girl stated, spelling out the situation for her friend. "I'm sure Makie's thinking the same thing."

"We should go!" proclaimed the fiery redhead. "What else do we have to do?"

Startled by her declaration, the other girls considered what she'd said. They really didn't have anything else to do, and as much fun as surprise pot was, there was only so much that they could take of it.

"Yeah," several girls exclaimed encouragingly.

"We definitely need to get out of Mahora for a day or two," Konoka added. "It'll be fun."

X X X X X

There were only a few times in his life when Ranma recalled ever being so irritable and agitated. Sure, there had been those times with the Neko-ken training, but aside from that the raven haired immortal was generally an easy going and laid back person.

"You've got a ten year old kid teaching English?" exclaimed the immortal as he dragged said kid into Dean Konoe's office. The long flight from England had not been restful nor had it been pleasant as his keen mind pondered a multitude of thoughts, chief of which was why the hell was the Dean hiring a child to do an adult's job?

"Ah," the wrinkled old man greeted as he turned towards the trio of instructors that now entered his office, "Saotome, Narusegawa, I see you've brought young Mr. Springfield. I was just about to send Takahata to greet you at the airport. Did you catch an earlier flight out? What about your son? I really was hoping to meet him."

Ranma paused, unprepared for the cunning ploy that the Dean had surprised him with. "Sir," said the immortal as he calmed himself, "Haruna's with Hiro, they've gone to the Grill to meet his Uncle and Aunt. He'll be back for testing tomorrow."

"Good, good," smiled the old man. "How was the flight Negi?"

"Um," squawked the boy, "it was good."

The immortal glanced from the young boy to the cagy old man.

"Good, good," the Dean muttered. "Due to circumstances you'll be staying with Saotome. He is of course an accomplished mage; though he prefers the physical arts."

Ranma leveled his gaze back at Dean Konoe, dispelling his illusion as he did so.

"A glamour?" exclaimed the young mage. "No, there wasn't any of the usual shimmering when I tried to look past the illusion, but I didn't sense any magic either."

"That's a secret," stated the auburn haired beauty.

Hazel eyes turned towards the former model intent on discerning her true appearance.

"She's not a mage," chuckled the scruffy blond. "She's completely non-magical, but she knows about magic and our world."

The young mage turned to his senior.

"Not all of the teachers here are magi," explained the Dean. "Most of the ones who don't have some tie to magic don't know about us, a majority of the student body doesn't know that magic exists. It will be your job to help hide the existence of magic from the uninitiated."

Soaking in Dean Konoe's words, Negi nodded his head, determined to do his best.

"There's no way they're going to take him seriously," Ranma interjected. "If they can't take me as a 16 year old there's no way they'd take him as a ten year old."

"You're only sixteen?" asked Negi.

"He only looks sixteen," Naru explained. "He's actually older than me and Takahata."

"You do have a point," ceded Dean Konoe. "But what do you propose we do? I doubt that young Negi has the experience casting your master piece every day."

'_Ah, that's what you're playing at,_' mused the immortal.

"Actually," Takahata spoke up, joining the conversation, "Narusegawa mentioned that you have something that can alter his age."

A slight chill ran up and down the immortal's spine as he glanced at his former lover out of the corner of his eye. _'She told him about that?'_ "Yeah."

"That's why you look like you're sixteen," concluded Negi.

Had he truly been sixteen he might have blurted out some asinine retort that might have made the boy suspect or distrust him but despite his appearance Ranma had learned from his past mistakes, sort of. "It's a curse, that's why I use illusions."

"Oh."

"Anyways," interjected Takahata, "Negi's in a precarious position. His father is a renown mage, unfortunately he's also made plenty of enemies. The idea of hiding who he really is by altering Negi's age should help divert attention away from him, but eventually there are going to be those who will come looking for the Springfields."

"So you want me to protect him," Ranma huffed.

Dean Konoe held up his hand, "Not so much – we would like your assistance in diverting attention from him. Because many of the other Association leaders respect you they are less likely to move against you or those in your care. The simple fact that he would be residing in your house even if he's not otherwise associated with you should garner him some protection."

"Especially if they think that if he really was related to Nagi that he'd come to Mahora and your Association first," concluded Ranma. "But by staying with an outsider like me it further distances himself from you."

Both the Dean and Takahata nodded, if only somewhat reluctantly at the conclusions the immortal had reached.

"Of course Hiro and Haruna are going to have to keep his secret as well," the immortal added. "And he'd have to keep the disguise up at my place as not all of my students know about the existence of magic."

Again the two Kanto magi nodded.

"I'm not teaching him anything," declared Ranma.

"Fine," Dean Konoe replied, a bit too quickly for Saotome's taste.

He was trapped, and he knew it. The damage was done, but now he'd have to focus on keeping the kid out of his way. But what was the true goal behind the old man's schemes? The fact that Negi appeared to be no older than Hiro could mean that he didn't trust Hiro. Or he could just be using Negi to spy on Ranma.

"As Negi will be living with you, you'll be in charge of assessing his ability as a teacher and as a mage," the old man stated.

'_It's not that easy, is it?'_ the mildly paranoid man wondered even as he nodded at the old man's request. A quick glance at Takahata seemed to confirm it as the blond didn't appear to be giving anything away.

Still, his head hurt from all the frantic thoughts that had raced through his mind since he'd first met Negi in London. Unable to sleep, he'd found his mind racing to several different conclusions. Perhaps he had misinterpreted the situation. It'd happened before, and was likely to happen again, but it never hurt to be prepared.

No, what he needed now was some sleep. Letting his mind and body to rest would definitely help.

"Fine," he muttered. "But I'm going to do things my way."

X X X X X

Thoughts ran through his cunning mind as he strained to keep up with the conversation around him. Though he'd made a point of learning Japanese, Negi Springfield had not expected anything like this. The heated and tense conversation between Ranma Saotome and Dean Konoe had flown by him as he struggled to keep up with his new landlord and peer.

The unexpected revelation that Ranma wasn't the man he appeared to be and that he was a master of illusion had caught the youth unprepared. It was just after that that Negi had lost track of the conversation.

It didn't help that he was still jet lagged despite having slept for part of the flight from London. As sharp as he was it was clear that he needed to work on his Japanese before classes started in a few weeks. If all the Japanese spoke like the adults present then he'd be lost in just a manor of hours.

"As Negi will be living with you, you'll be in charge of assessing his ability as a teacher and as a mage," stated Dean Konoe.

The young boy stood straight upon hearing his name.

"Fine," agreed the raven haired youth that was Ranma Saotome, "but I'm going to do things my way."

For a moment silence filled the gigantic office as Ranma and Dean Konoe locked gazes.

From what he could gather Ranma clearly was a mage. Even though he worked in Mahora, where there were other magi (students and teacher, though not everyone there was trained or knew it existed) he wasn't actually affiliated with them. Too young to understand the subtle politics that appeared to affect the various magical factions in Japan (unlike England with its unified Magical Association) Negi simply stood still, watching the two men as they squared off in a duel of wills.

"Come on Negi," said Ranma in his less than eloquent Japanese, "I'll show you the house and your room before Haruna and Hiro get back."

Negi nodded absently, simply content to follow the other man's lead.

The raven haired man closed his eyes for a moment. Suddenly the young man was replaced with an older image of himself.

Negi blinked, trying to pierce the illusion. He still couldn't believe that this man before him had mastered illusions to the point where he could cast them without any of the usual gestures or incantations.

"Hmm," the illusionist grumbled as he looked at the young boy. "This won't do. I don't know how you're going to look like as an adult… You're going to have to be invisible until we get home."

Again the young boy blinked.

With a simple snap of his finger Ranma cast his spell.

He could feel the other man's magic wash over him as it took effect. "I can still see myself," he exclaimed as he waved his hands before his face.

"Of course you can," Ranma muttered. "It's nothing like the Disillusionment spell from Harry Potter –you're not completely invisible, just to anyone who sees in the same light spectrum that normal humans can see."

"But you can see me," countered Negi.

"I know where you're standing because I cast the spell, and you're talking, so it's pretty obvious for me where you are," explained the other mage.

"Oh."

The trip to Saotome's house flew by quickly as both Narusegawa and Saotome made a beeline for the building on the edge of the campus, leaving Negi with no time to take in the sights of the city.

"Most of the students are gone for the summer break," Narusegawa explained. "There are many sports competitions being held at the beginning of the break so that the students don't have to take time away from their classes and studies, unfortunately that leaves most of Mahora feeling pretty empty. Even after the competitions are finished many students opt to take a week or two off to relax and enjoy themselves."

Negi nodded heedless of the fact that his companions couldn't see his gesture.

"Why'd you become a teacher?" Narusegawa ventured to ask as Ranma closed the gate to his property.

"I was told that I needed to become a teacher if I wanted to become a better mage," answered the young mage.

"You're a western mage," Ranma muttered as he led them towards the house. "Do you subscribe to the Pactico style or the Magical-swordsman philosophy?"

The question caught Negi by surprise. "I'm still in training," he muttered, glancing away from the obviously learned man before him.

"But you graduated, right?" the other man asked.

"But he's only ten," Naru interjected.

"Kid's a genius," shrugged Ranma.

"How do you know?" demanded Naru.

"He's either a genius or his very stupid," Ranma answered. "If he's going to be teaching here than I would think he's a genius.

"The number of very powerful magical artifacts that he's carrying around suggests that he at least knows how to use them if not care for them. Artifacts themselves aren't that uncommon, but the number and the power of the ones he has suggests that he isn't a typical mage. The staff alone is a dead giveaway. That's probably why you flew here in an airplane instead of using one of the teleportation gates – your weapons and artifacts would have been confiscated and your identity would have been revealed to those who the Dean and your former master wants to keep you safe from."

"Should we be talking about this out in the open?" asked a slightly timid Negi.

"It's my property," Ranma replied. "It's safe. I'm surprised you didn't feel the magical barrier when you stepped through it, then again, you're probably not used to Eastern magic."

Negi nodded. It was true. Having spent his entire life at the academy he had dedicated his life to magic, but he'd only managed to learn Western Magic. There were nearly as many philosophies and theories regarding magic, but most that he knew involved incantations to invoke, enchant, conjure, or summon. There was also the use of runes and glyphs that some magi used, but he didn't know anything about those styles. He'd definitely have to learn about the other styles of magic now that he was in Japan.

The sound of the solid oak door closing snapped him out of his thoughts. He'd barely had a chance to look at the house as he followed Ranma into the building, thus leaving the spacious hallway to make the first impression on him.

Finely worked wood and clean walls greeted him.

"I'm going to crash in the guest room," Narusegawa mumbled.

It didn't take an expert to realize that the auburn haired beauty was tired. In fact, all of them were tired. Only Negi's excitement and Ranma's apparent apprehension at the situation he'd found himself in had kept the two magi awake since they'd arrived in Japan a scant few hours ago.

"Your room's the second from the right," Ranma explained.

Negi nodded as he watched the buxom woman walk down the hallway before taking the second room on the left.

"Your room's got a bathroom attached to it, but there's another bathroom right there," Ranma pointed to the first door on the right. "There's another bathroom at the end of the hallway. It's actually a changing room that leads out to the onsen, but there's a bathroom connected to the changing room as well. The living room's that way" he pointed to the left, "then there's the dining room and the kitchen. Through the living room is the dojo."

The redheaded boy nodded.

"Oh," Ranma muttered, "there's a magical charm that'll announce when someone's approaching the house from the front door and another for when people are entering from the side entrance to go to the dojo. You'll get used to them. It won't trigger when there are others here, so you're not going to hear it when my students are here."

Again Negi nodded.

"Wait here," Ranma ordered.

The young boy stood still as the other man vanished in an unexpected display of speed. He could hear the subtle sound of steps on the newly installed wood steps as Ranma dashed up the stairs. In a few seconds the older man returned, his hands behind his back.

"Well," sighed the raven haired man as he once again released his illusion, "I hate to do this, but I can't let you in on all my secrets, particularly this one."

The young boy stood there, dumbfounded as he wondered what the other man was talking about.

"Close your eyes," ordered the older mage, "and open your mouth. The thing that's going to turn you older has to be administered orally."

Obediently Negi did so despite his reservations. He could feel the other man's hand on his head, pushing his mouth wider even as he pushed his head back. Before he could even react he felt something being shoved between his lips and into his mouth. Whatever it was it was long and soft, but nothing like a banana. His gage reflex was overpowered by Ranma's strong, firm hands as the master martial artist shoved the entire thing into Negi's mouth.

Finally the strong hands clamped his mouth shut.

"Chew," Ranma ordered, "then swallow."

As much as he wanted to, Negi couldn't, not with that thing in his mouth. With his throat and mouth full, all he could do was struggle to swallow the object.

Even with his eyes closed Negi could see stars against the back of his eyelids. As suddenly as they appeared though they were gone - replaced with a darkness that filled his world.

"I guess I should have chopped it up first."

X X X X X

The cool, humid air felt refreshing to the young cyborg as he stepped out onto the arena. He didn't know why, but he immediately headed for the arena every time he was allowed a break.

"You feel it, don't you?" his uncle's voice called out to him. It was a credit to his ninja skills that he'd managed to sneak up on the cyborg, managing to surprise him as he did so.

Tenma simply closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, taking in the mysterious aura that seemed to envelop the wide open space he stood in.

"It's the residual battle auras of those who have fought here," the cross-dressing ninja explained.

The cyborg opened his eyes, "I thought they only sparred here?"

"Sparring can mean many things. To someone like your father sparring is anything that isn't life or death, or where victory is meaningless. I've seen his opponents go for killing blows or at least blows that would kill a lesser man, but your father brushed them off as though it was nothing."

The younger Saotome nodded. "Because to him it wasn't a serious attack, even if it connected."

"Possibly."

"Father believes that as a martial artist one always knows the exact amount of force to be used against one's opponent."

Konatsu nodded.

"The masters who fought here always knew the right amount of force needed to secure victory without endangering the lives of those watching."

"'What's the point of winning if you have to destroy the planet'."

"That's what father says whenever he sees Dragon Ball Z on."

Konatsu smirked. "You came here because it reminds you most of why you were born."

Tenma blinked, startled by the man's words.

"Biologically you are a mechanical clone of Ranma's, yet he regards you as a son," the ninja elaborated. "In a way he feels that you are capable of living the life that he couldn't."

"Because of the curse."

"Because of how his father raised him."

Again the cyborg paused.

"You're thought patterns, your body – everything about you is meant to mimic him. And while his reasons for activating you differ from why he wants to keep you around, he believes that you deserve a chance to live your own life. That's why he argued so vehemently to the others that we allow you to exist."

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to take those blunt words or why his uncle was even telling him this, but Tenma found himself turning around to look at the man he called his uncle.

"Ranma does love you, as a father loves a son," Konatsu stated. "None of his children were brought about by natural means, yourself included. He may not have wanted you at the time of your conception or birth, but he accepts you – all of you, and he's done what he believes is the right thing for all of you."

His words slowly sunk in. "All of us? There are more besides Hiro?"

His uncle nodded. "Two more that I know of. I barely know the man responsible for the others, but from what Ryoga has said he suspects that there are more."

The familiar ringing of the bells caught their attention despite the fact that they were in the patio and the arena.

"Haruna!" Ukyo's voice cried out. "And you must be Hiro!"

Tenma looked at his uncle, unsure what else needed to be said.

"You're my nephew," declared Konatsu, "just like Hiro is. If you need anything, feel free to come talk to me."

With a nod Tenma followed the older Saotome back into the restaurant.

Upon reentering the restaurant his eyes immediately set on the wild haired brunette boy standing in the center of the crowd. Physically he looked nothing like his father. His lean build suggested some form of martial arts training, but he was far too young to have trained his body to its peak. No, he'd definitely have some growing to do as he barely came up to Haruna's ribs, thus only up to Tenma's stomach.

Only the boy's striking blue eyes suggested that he was related to Ranma as the clear blue orbs seemed to be a trait that both Ranma and Tenma had in common with Hiro.

"So your father's tending to some business in Mahora still?" the brunette woman he called his aunt asked as she turned to her daughter.

Haruna nodded. "He and Narusegawa-sensei had to take the new teacher to meet the Dean. They'll come here tomorrow."

Tenma wasn't sure what to make of his little brother, but his uncle's words had reassured him somewhat. Still, the obvious tension hung in the air as two pairs of blue eyes locked.

"Tenma," Ukyo called out, "come meet your brother!"

Though most would have taken what she said to a simple reprimand Tenma knew that she was ordering him to break the ice with Hiro. Despite the fact that he was a cyborg, or perhaps because of it, Tenma wasn't sure what to say. Mentally he'd run a variety of scenarios in his mind as he worked throughout the week, but it was hard to actually predict what would happen as he had no information on Hiro to work with.

Still, he found himself approaching the crowd and his brother. "Yo."

"Yo," the runt returned.

Tenma couldn't help but smirk. Reaching out he ruffled his little brother's wild brown hair, causing the younger Saotome to look up at him with a slightly irritated look.

"You both have your father's eyes," the stately swordswoman declared. "Of course, Tenma, you look like a spitting image of your father when he was your age, but you both clearly have his eyes."

Both boys looked over to the proud swordswoman, neither sure what to say.

"This is Motoko Aoyama," said Ukyo as she indicated the woman. "She's a friend of your father's. She once lived in the dorm that your father owns a percentage of. She's also your grandmaster's sister-in-law and the current leader of the Shinmeiryu."

Though Tenma had already knew as much, he knew that Hiro didn't know, and that it was important for their aunt to introduce the Shinmeiryu leader.

"This is Toko Kuzunoha," the brunette woman added as she turned to the other woman. "She's Mahora's kendo club's coach. And this is Setsuna Sakurazaki, she's in class 2-A of the girls' junior high school and one of Haruna's classmates. She's also in the kendo club."

"Pops says you've been trained in boxing," Tenma interjected, drawing his brother's attention.

The boy glanced up at him, nodding fearlessly.

"But he's had me working with him on several other styles as well," Haruna interrupted. "I've taught him basic karate, jujitsu, and aikido while your dad's shown him judo, taekwondo, kick boxing, and sambo as well as a few other styles."

Again Hiro nodded, reaffirming what Haruna claimed.

Tenma grinned. "Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

X X X X X

Though she enjoyed her time in England, she just couldn't get used to the single bed that she'd been provided. It didn't help that she had a tendency to toss and turn at night and the tiny bed didn't accommodate that as she often ended up with a limb or two over the edge of the bed. The queen-sized bed in the second guest room took up most of the tiny room but fit her perfectly. The firm mattress was much better than the soft one that she'd had while in England, and it was the perfect size, allowing her to sprawl about as she slept.

As tired as she'd been Naru had barely enough energy to close the door and strip off her clothes before crawling into bed. Though she was only a guest, she thought little of the fact that she was sleeping in only her panties as the sleepwear she'd packed were still in her suitcase.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep as the comfortable bed called out to her. So much had happened in the past day or so that her mind was busy processing everything. She didn't know how long she'd slept, only that her body had demanded that she wake up to tend to some bodily functions.

Seeing that the sun had set long ago, her sleep addled mind opted to ignore the fact that she was practically naked. After all, Ranma had seen her naked more than once and Negi, well, he was just a harmless kid.

Finishing her business, she felt her stomach growl. Yawning, she headed for the kitchen to appease her rumbling stomach.

She wasn't sure what to expect, what with Ranma having been gone for the previous week and all, but from the look of things he'd clearly woken up to get some food earlier in the evening/night. Squinting, she barely made out what appeared to be a tray of freshly made sushi and sashimi covered in plastic wrap along with some fruit salad and stir-fried udon. Peeling back the plastic wrap she attacked the fruit salad, savoring the mixture of sweetness and tartness as well as the variety of textures from the citrus fruits, apples, mango, strawberries, and bananas.

Her hunger sated, the auburn haired beauty squinted at the clock. Unable to discern the numbers on the digital clock she shrugged as she headed back towards the guest room. The sound of gently splashing water reached her ears, drawing her further down the hallway towards the changing room. Despite her curiosity she knew better than to just barge in, especially since the only others present were supposed to be male.

"Ranma?" she called out as she opened the door to the onsen.

"Yeah."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Sure."

Slipping out of her panties and shirt, she folded them neatly in a basket before grabbing a towel. Clutching the gentle cotton towel to her bosom she mentally noted that it was too small for her, barely covering her. _'But it's only Ranma,'_ she thought as she eyed the open door. _'He's seen me naked plenty of times.'_

Despite the fact that only the waning moon lit the onsen and that a silvery haze filled the area, Naru knew that Ranma could clearly sense her if not see her. His keen senses grew with experience and his eternal youth kept them from degrading.

Though she'd trained as well, Naru knew that she'd need several lifetimes to get as good as he was, and at least another decade of dedicated instruction to get as good as Shinobu had been when she'd come to Mahora earlier in the year. Still, her own senses were better than average, allowing her to make out his silhouette in the steamy haze as she stepped into the hot water.

As vast and spacious as the onsen was, she couldn't help but gravitate towards her former lover, seating herself next to him and even going so far as to lean against him. Setting her towel on the faux stone ledge she sighed, content to merely be sitting beside the master martial artist.

"Something bothering you?" she finally asked as she set her head on his shoulder.

"Just thinking," he replied, shifting his arm so that he could rest it on her shoulders and drew her in.

She knew better than to pry any further. Despite their past intimacy there were times when the proud martial artist prized his privacy. The simply act of putting his arm around her had told her that he didn't mind her being with him even though he was in no mood to make conversation.

"Massage," ordered the feisty woman. She might not get a good conversation, but she knew that in the current mood he was in he was capable of giving her a more than adequate massage. Grabbing his hand she set it on her shoulder even as she shifted her position so that she was now sitting on his lap.

Strong, dexterous fingers began to gently knead her flesh, working out the tension in her shoulders.

Ranma was a creature of action. As much as he wanted to be considered an enlightened and learned person, he always thought best when he was doing something. Though his preferred medium was through the arts, even giving a massage allowed him to think clearer.

It was one of the things that she loved about him - one of the many things that she loved about him actually.

His knowing experienced hands worked out the knots in her shoulder and neck before slowly moving down to her back and spine.

Sighing contently she leaned forward as she slid back on his lap.

Before she even knew it she felt his manhood pressed against her buttocks. Were it any other man she was sure that he would have been aroused. But Ranma was Ranma. With his mind working through whatever problem he was handling and his hands simply massaging her, his body failed to register any possible sexual arousal.

Again she was reminded of why she loved Ranma. Had it been anyone else she was sure that things would eventually lead to sex, but this was Ranma. As much as she might want or hoped it would happen, she knew that it wouldn't unless she took the initiative for it.

But tonight she was content to just enjoy his company as he was sure to enjoy hers.

Massage complete, Naru removed herself from his lap, standing up before him. She didn't care that she was naked, not when it was just the two of them. Turning around, she smiled before leaning over to give him a tender kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, I needed that."

X X X X X

A cool evening breeze greeted the trio of travelers as they departed Saotome's Grill after an evening full of light hearted banter about the Saotome family had done wonders with the two Saotome boys as they both were enlightened about their father and grandfather.

"The boy seems cold and distant," the youngest of the trio finally said, breaking the silence as the group reached the empty train station.

"Sakurazaki-chan," said the leader of the group as she smiled sadly at the girl, "how would you feel if you were finally reunited with a brother you only recently discovered existed?"

The pale swordswoman paused. "I… I… I apologize Aoyama-san, I had no idea."

"Their father has a tragic past," the other woman stated. "Unfortunately it's not limited to just him, but his children as well."

Setsuna nodded, accepting her elders' words as truth.

"I know that you feel obligated to guard Konoe-chan," stated the kendo coach.

Again the young girl nodded.

"Tell me, what do you think of Tenma Saotome?" the veteran swordswoman asked.

Setsuna took a moment to consider all that she knew of the boy. "Asuna-san is prepared to confess her feelings for him at the end of the summer. He is reliable, an accomplished martial artist, and appears dependable."

"But what do you think of him?" demanded the head of the Shinmeiryu.

"He's not a threat to Ojou-sama," stated Setsuna. "He would be a good ally if needed."

Motoko nodded. "And what of Hiro?"

Again she paused, considering what little she knew of the boy and her recent interactions with him. "He has a hint of demonic magic about him."

Again the leader of the Shinmeiryu nodded. "He has spent the last three years under the tutelage of a demon."

Her companions froze.

"Ranma owed the demon a debt," she explained. "He requested that Ranma allow him to train his most promising child for three years."

"And Dean Konoe knows this?" hissed Mahora's second in command of operations.

"Yes," replied the proud swordswoman. "I'm sure he's taken things into account and has a contingency plan, but I want you both to keep an eye on the boy and assist Saotome-sama should he request it."

Despite their other duties, both knew that they answered to Motoko Aoyama first and foremost. Neither was in any position to deny her request. "Yes Mistress."

X X X x X

The gentle rustle of the leaves was the only notice she had that she wasn't alone. Of the handful of those in Mahora who were capable of ascending the mighty World Tree, only a few of them were capable of completely evading her senses.

"Good evening Takahata," greeted the sniper.

"Tatsumiya," the scruffy blond returned.

"What brings you up here?" the track coach asked as she spotted a pair of students outside of the library.

"The view from up here is spectacular," the man lied.

"Yes, it is," agreed Mana. "But that's not why you're up here."

Neither said anything for a moment as an actual breeze rustled the leaves of the World Tree.

"I'm sure you've seen the glyphs about campus," said Takahata.

"You're trying to map them? Good luck. It looks like they've gone unused this week."

"Have you placed a tracer on them?"

"Of course. I also made sure that no one else could put one on them."

"Take your tracers off of them," he ordered.

"Saotome?" the sniper growled. Somehow she knew he was behind it. Though students often set up their own personal escape routes, most of those were spotted throughout the term. This particular network had only just been noticed but had been in existence before the term, right when he'd arrived at Mahora.

"Regardless of what you think of him, he's still one of the teachers at Mahora," Takahata stated. "Not that he won't change them once he realizes you've been watching them."

"Why do you let him have such free reign?" demanded the sniper.

"He's a special case," Takahata stated. "We need someone who's objective and isn't tied to Mahora, someone like Ranma. He gets things done that we can't. As underhanded as that may seem, it's very effective and we know that he's not going to go out of his way to screw us over. He may not be part of the Kanto MA, but he is an ally."

"Are you sure about that?" questioned Mana. "The demon that raised his son these last three years was the same one who attacked _that_ Welsh village four years ago."

The blond man paused.

"I see you didn't know about that."

Takahata glanced at the sniper, unsure how to mask his uncertainty. "What else do you know?"

"The Light Association has been acting up," she added. "It seems some of their princesses have gone rogue. Then again, it is the summer break so maybe they just sent them on vacation somewhere.

"Of course, the Independents are off on break as well so the other MA's aren't happy to have rogues in their territory."

Reaching into his pocket the scruffy man pulled out his pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"No smoking," snapped the sniper. "Someone's been scanning the tree lately, and I don't want them to know we're up here."

Despite her request he pulled out a lone cigarette and put it to his lips without lighting it. "I'm surprised at how much intell you get while away for your meets."

"I'm sure you are," she replied as she focused her sites on a couple outside of the girls' high school dorm.

"Nothing on those redheads?"

"Nothing, though I doubt they'll act up until the next full moon."

For a moment the two remained silent, neither one willing to share any more information. Only the rustling of the leaves signified that he'd departed, leaving just as he'd come.

With the man gone Mana turned her gun north, focusing on the three story building. "Always with the haze," she muttered as her scope failed to penetrate the silvery steam that surrounded the onsen. "What are you up to Saotome?"

X X X X X

In the short time that he'd called Mahora home, Ranma Saotome had thought that he had also mastered his heart. Yet even the wisest man could lose sight of his heart and where it lay. It was not to say that he didn't love the young beauty known as Shinobu Maehara or that he loved either woman more than the other. No, he loved Shinobu, just as he loved Naru, but the love he felt for each of them was different yet the same in both cases.

And it wasn't that the, um, fling with Shinobu hadn't been enjoyable and liberating, but there was something off about their relationship. Secrets aside, their relationship just felt incomplete.

Despite the way his own father had acted while raising him, Ranma felt that misleading his children was wrong. It was one thing for them to as a family to be secretive about the existence of magic to the non-magical, but keeping his relationships (and how snuck into his bed) a secret was sure to be something that would come back to bite him in the ass.

The gentle creaking of the well-oiled closet door told him that he was no longer alone in his room. Sitting up, he smiled at the buxom blunette as she emerged from the closet. "Yo," he greeted, "I figured you were going to show up."

"Oh?" exclaimed a slightly disappointed Shinobu. "Maybe I'll just go back then?"

"Actually," he said as he looked into her eyes. "There's something we need to talk about."

X X X X X

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now. Gotta finish taxes… At least the snow's gone, but now I have to cut down a tree or three (or four).

Dreamingfox


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Notes –

I'm not sure how to take the fact that the reviews have dropped off on this fic. Granted, I probably should have ended this fic after the Love Hina arc, but rather than re-write RWW, I opted to go with extending Immortal.

Expect surprises.

* * *

A martial artist's life was fraught with peril, it was a lesson that Ranma had taken to heart over a decade ago. Unfortunately hit had come too late for his father, mother and the Tendo family as the once trusting and care free boy's life was taken forcibly from him.

Though he had thought he'd been happy at the time, the more he looked back on his time in Nerima the more those memories became bitter-sweet. The adventures that he'd shared with Ryoga, Mousse, and even Kuno were no longer the seemingly light-hearted affairs that they had once seemed. Despite his bond of friendship with Ryoga, it had not come about until the tragic events had unfolded and the remorseful lost boy had attempted to repent for his role in the events that lead up to the Nerima Incident.

It was because of his tainted history in Nerima that had caused him to look back at his current relationship with the buxom blunette. At first he'd been saddened at the loss of his first student. But the fact that she'd done so only because she wanted to remove that obstacle so that she could pursue a more intimate relationship with him hadn't bothered him, at least not initially.

Looking back at it though he couldn't help but wonder about the subtle changes in his former student and current lover, and the slightly unsettling feeling that nagged at his consciousness over the course of the past week.

Though it was just one of the problems that he currently had to deal with, it was also the problem currently on hand. "There's something we need to talk about."

The buxom blunette paused as she stood at the foot of his bed.

"Oh." The playfulness that she'd exhibited moments before was now gone, replaced with a somber tension as she slowly sat on the edge of the bed.

As articulate as he could be after years of learning to speak a variety of other languages, Ranma found that he just couldn't find the right words to express the multitude of thoughts running through his head. "Go to the dojo," he finally said. "I'll be down there in a minute."

He waited for her to stand up and exit his room before he got out of bed despite their past intimacies. Throwing on his usual shirt and pants, he quickly dressed before descending the stairs and making his way to the dojo.

Despite the darkness, Ranma easily made out the blunette's distinctive figure. "What did you want to talk about?"

Unwilling to answer her query, he walked over to the dojo's back entrance, drawing it open to allow them a view of the altered yard. With a slight tilted nod he directed his former pupil out into the yard.

Cautiously, hesitantly, she obliged.

It wasn't until she'd reached the threshold that he grabbed her right arm and shoulder before throwing her out into the night.

Though startled, years of training under him and with her new mistress apparently paid off as she flipped in midair before landing gracefully on the sloped ground.

"Don't hold back," he insisted as he launched himself at her.

A swift straight right kick sliced the air where Shinobu stood mere seconds ago as her instincts propelled her to take the defensive.

"You've been hiding something form me," he stated as he followed up the kick with a barrage of punches that kept her off balance. "It's more than the fact that you found a new teacher."

Unable to keep up with his swift hands, one of his punches passed her guard, connected with her temple and dazing her momentarily.

"I said don't hold back," he muttered as he connected with an elbow to the stomach that sent her sprawling.

Shaking the cobwebs out of her head, Shinobu nodded once before launching herself back at him. A series of kicks and knees assaulted him, forcing him to take to the air despite having the high ground.

"Of course I've been hiding something from you," declared Shinobu as she took to the air and left her guard down.

A quick snap kick to the face silenced her even as it sent her rolling down the slight slope of the yard.

"You've also been holding back," stated Ranma as he landed.

Rolling to her feet, Shinobu rubbed her chin. She'd never expected him to actually hit her in the face.

"Anything goes," the immortal stated. He could feel his blood pumping through his body, increasing his usually dormant usually dormant mental abilities. He was a martial artist, perhaps the best of his generation. He didn't like to plan things out, and though they usually worked out in the end, it was only because he was able to make things up as he fought not because he'd laid out precise and well executed plans.

Again Shinobu went on the offensive as she sought to make up for the fact that she had thus far been on the receiving end of things. "Why are you, we, doing this?" she demanded as she threw a series of swift yet underpowered punches. "Why do I always have to prove myself to you?"

A single punch connected with his cheek. Physically, it was nothing, barely even forcing him to turn his head as he soaked the punch. Yet as a martial artist and fighter it packed more emotion than he'd expected from his former student.

Years of instinct and training cause him to lash out in response, connecting with a straight kick to his lover's chin.

"You're still holding back," he stated as she crashed to the ground. Slowly he advanced as she pulled herself to her feet. By now they'd reached the grove of bamboo, giving the less experienced girl a handy weapon as she claimed a fallen shoot.

He'd had his suspicions about who she was studying under, but with all that was going on in his life he hadn't thought much about it. _'No,' _he chided himself_, 'it was the sex. Definitely the sex. If Shampoo had really been a woman she'd have pulled something like what Shinobu did. That would have been messy, but probably saved us all a lot of trouble.'_

Wiping the dirt from her face, Shinobu stood tall. "Fine," she muttered as she pulled something out. "Adeat!"

He could feel the infusion of magical energy recharging her, empowering her.

"You made a pactio?" he scoffed. _'I hadn't expected that, though maybe I should have… she'd never been able to pull of any magic before, but somehow she'd mastered my glyphs.'_

A swift punch to the face rocked him. For most it would have jarred them out of their thoughts or at least made disrupted their train of thought, but for Ranma it was a godsend as it cleared away all his preconceived notions and doubts about his former student. 'I know that aura.'

Reflexively he twisted in the air, avoiding the powerful knee strike from the blunette. Pushing off of her knee he used the limb as a pivot point as he countered with an elbow to the gut, breaking the two fighters apart and allowing him to land on his feet.

"You partnered with Evangeline," he stated.

Shinobu paused, confirming his fears.

"Why?"

"You don't know?" she replied even as her muscles tensed.

Again he felt her connect with his face, this time with her knee.

Catching her other leg, he rolled back, slamming her into the ground even as he redirected the force of her attack against him.

Infused with the magical energies of some other mage, he knew that he couldn't reason with her. Though he disliked having to resort to these measures he was presented with no other options. Rolling with the blow he twisted her leg and back before kicking her in the back of the head.

Retreating into the grove he listened for the sound of her breath or footsteps as she chased after him. Ducking, he narrowly avoided a swift kick that instead connected with a bamboo shoot as the blunette flew over his head.

"I love you," proclaimed Shinobu as her barrage of kicks chased him out of the grove and into the even field full of pools and poles. "I did it all for you; all so that you'd notice me!"

Forced to block, he took a powerful kick on his forearm even as he spun around and swept her remaining leg out from beneath her before taking to the air. Rolling, she pushed off of the ground and launched herself into the air and onto a pole.

"Why do you love me?" he asked as he looked into her tearful eyes.

"Because I do! I can't explain it! I just do!"

A fierce series of flying punches forced him off of his pole as the emotional woman again took the offensive.

"You're kind, caring, considerate… you're a good man."

Again they flew through the air exchanging lightning quick punches as they jockeyed for position and aerial superiority. Experience won out over power and ferocity as Ranma sent Shinobu crashing into a pool even as he retreated to a nearby pole.

"There are plenty of good men," he countered as she surfaced from the pool. "Takahata, Keitaro…"

She leapt at him, her dress clinging to her soaked body.

"Okay," he ceded, taking to the air, "maybe there aren't that many good men."

"You're honest," she added as she threw a punch that he was forced to block.

A swift counter threw off her momentum, sending her tumbling though this time she managed to recover and grab onto a pole instead of crash into a pool.

"You see me for who I really am."

Landing lightly he contemplated what she said. "And who are you really?" he turned her argument against her.

Though slightly perturbed by the turn in their conversation, Shinobu renewed her assault.

"The Shinobu Maehara I knew was once a shy, timid young girl," he stated as he swatted aside her punches. "She asked to train with me so that she could overcome her timidness, though I suspect she crushed on me just as she previously did for Keitaro."

His words hit her like a slap to the face, stunning her.

"But she's slowly become more confident," he resumed his verbal assault. "Even though I wasn't around the last few years, she's continued to practice the art so that she could become a strong, independent woman."

He could see tears forming in her eyes as the waning moonlight shone in her eyes as she leapt up to him.

"The Shinobu Maehara I see right now is strong, but isn't independent," his words stopped her physical assault, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulder and waist as he caught her. Gentle sobs accompanied her irregular breath as she choked on her emotions.

"T-This isn't… isn't how I wanted us to be," admitted surprisingly timid Shinobu.

"I know," he sighed as he cradled her to his chest. Skillfully he descended from the pole, landing gracefully on the ground with his lover in his arms. "We were both so sloppy."

His lame attempt at levity seemed to decrease the tension though only slightly as Shinobu looked up at him.

"I guess I overlooked your aggression the last time we sparred because I was impressed by how much you'd improved," he sighed. "I saw what I wanted to see, and that was it."

"So you wanted to see me naked?" she teased as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Well," he muttered, "that was definitely a bonus along with everything else that happened."

For a moment the two stood together, unsure what to make of their tender embrace.

"So," the blunette finally said as she bite her lip, "where do we go from here?"

"We start over," suggested Ranma. "We take some time to get our own thoughts together and then we start over."

* * *

Of all the things that Ranma Saotome knew how to do, cooking was the second most useful skill that Ranma had learned in his long life. Not only was it necessary to help provide him with sustenance (something that he really didn't need given his immortality) but it allowed him to work out his thoughts in a physical way without having to, well, get physical. It also helped that the food he cooked and consumed tasted good and was often refreshing and filling at the same time.

Yes, Ranma Saotome loved to cook. Though he had not mastered as many cooking arts as his niece he knew the basics of more than enough to be competitive in them. Even though he sought to be the best in much of what he did, he felt no need to compete in the culinary arts.

Thus it was no surprise that the smell of freshly cooked food greeted the young magister in training.

"Yo," he waved offhandedly as he flicked his wrist, sending a pancake soaring through the air and onto a plate.

"Morning," muttered the young redheaded boy as he dragged himself towards the counter.

"Eat," the immortal ordered as he added butter to the frying pan.

Obediently Negi did so, grabbing a plate of pancakes and several strips of bacon.

Despite his size the runt managed to pack away several plates before finally waking. Energized by the food, Negi sat up, eagerly eying the older mage.

"I know that I suggested that you shouldn't present yourself as a kid to your students," Ranma stated as he stabbed several pancakes. "But ultimately it's your decision."

The young mage clearly hadn't expected him to say something like that.

"You're just a kid," the raven haired illusionist explained. "But if you're going to present yourself as an adult everyone is going to expect you to always be an adult, except when you're not."

As a teacher Ranma was used to getting blank stares from his students, but the slight gleam in Negi's eyes told him that the boy understood what he was saying.

"If you want to stay a kid to teach, I won't object to it," he repeated. "But it won't be easy."

The hazel eyed boy took a moment to consider all that had been said the previous day as well as this morning, still uncertain what to make of his host. "Why?"

"You might be a genius but you're still a kid," Ranma explained.

Negi shook his head. "No, why'd you reconsider?" the boy asked politely.

"It's because you're a kid," he replied. "As adults we think that we know better even if we don't. That's why some won't take you seriously. But forcing you to be an adult would rob you of your childhood, not that forcing you to be a teacher isn't, but at least you'd still have a chance to go out there and be free of your responsibilities every once in a while. Once you become an adult you won't have the same freedoms. It's not something that I'd be willing to take from you unless you agreed to it.

"If it were me, I'd rather be able to enjoy my childhood instead of having all the responsibilities of an adult all the time. Maybe I'm just being immature and irresponsible, but that's what I'd want. That's what I'm trying to do for my kids."

His honest and sincere word seemed to reach the boy before him. "I won't change," Negi proclaimed. "It'll be harder for them to take me seriously, but I will win my students over."

Ranma smirked. "And you have to do it without revealing that magic exists."

Negi nodded confidently.

"That means no staff," the raven haired man ordered. "The staff's a dead giveaway, especially for a runt like yourself. It'll also decrease the likelihood of you using magic when you're not supposed to."

He could tell that the kid was trying to resist that particular idea as much as he could. To someone like him the staff was more akin to a safety blanket even if he didn't have to use it. "Fine."

"Good," Ranma nodded. "Takahata's coming over to take you over to the Dean's. He'll give you a tour of the campus and city; it'll also be a good time for you two to catch up."

"What about you?" the boy asked.

"I've got other plans for today."

* * *

Food and fighting, both seemed to be pillars in the Saotome household. It was no wonder that Konatsu and Ukyo had opened their restaurant that catered to the select group of martial artists. In the years since he'd reconnected with his adopted brother and former fiancée, Ranma had always found Saotome's Grill to be one of the few places that he could retreat to whenever he needed to get away from his problems.

Today was no different. It mattered little that he was watching his sons fight, each getting to know the other for the first time. The fact that he had friends and family around seemed to easy not only his fears but those of his children. And of course like any true Saotome, fighting always helped straighten things out, even if it was a spat between two stubborn children.

"I thought you said he was brought up on boxing?"

Leaning back in his booth, Ranma savored the closeness he had with the woman seated next to him. Though they'd once been intimate, the two had decided that they weren't meant to have that kind of relationship. Still, they'd become better friends because of it. Even now Motoko Aoyama didn't shy away from close contact with him despite the fact that her subordinate was sitting on her other side.

"He was," the proud father grinned. "I had to put him through the ringer to get him to use more kicks."

"He's got fast hands," Ukyo stated. "He's managed to pick up everything I had to teach him about making okonomiyaki. Now if only he'd get it out of his head to use fermented cabbage…"

The immortal's face froze even as he mentally noted that he'd need to break the boy of his other habits and tendencies.

"It'll be a few more years before he's able to beat Tenma though," his sister-in-law stated. "If it wasn't for his eyes I'd say there was no family resemblance. You were taller than that when you were seven."

"Blame it on the sauerkraut," Ranma joked as he watched his youngest son get knocked down by a leg sweep.

After nearly a whole day at the Grill, Ranma wasn't surprised to see his sons still fighting. Unofficially the two younger Saotomes had been the stars of the day, drawing multiple challenges from the dozens of younger fighters and some of their masters as word that Ranma's sons were accepting informal challenges. The results didn't surprise the immortal as he knew just how skilled his children were. Even though he hadn't trained either of them, they were clearly the best of their generation. It helped that one was essentially a cybernetic clone of him and that the other was supposedly the most talented of his children. Thus far their only losses came to each other, though their tally favored Tenma more often than it did Hiro.

"That's enough you two," Ranma playfully chided. "Let someone else have a try."

"May I?" the young Shinmeiryu swordswoman inquired.

Ranma leaned forward just a bit to see who the pale swordswoman's eyes were focused on before nodding.

Tenma simply nodded while Hiro vacated the area around the arena floor only to be met by Motoko's other companion. The two former Hinata Sou residents sat in relative silence as the bout between Tenma and Setsuna began.

"When were you going to tell me about Shinobu?" Motoko finally asked.

Ranma watched as the young half-demon turned demon hunting swordswoman and his son cautiously circled each other. "Once I had time to reassess things," he replied.

"So she finally made her move," the kendoka muttered, a slight approving smile on her lips. "She's had a crush on you since you moved into the Sou."

"You know me, I'm just a chick magnet."

"At least there's no property damage."

The proud father watched as his son's defenses were tested by his shorter opponent and her bokken. "She's formed a pactio," he said in a soft voice so that only the woman beside him could hear.

"Really?" exclaimed Motoko. "I know you studied in the west, but you never struck me as the type."

"Evangeline McDowell."

"The Daywalker?" Motoko's soft brown eyes dilated as she focused on her protégé. "This is why we don't like Kanto."

Ranma knew that the slender kendoka didn't want to glance at her niece or the girls from Mahora especially as they were seated only a few meters away at the other end of their booth. "Takahata's a good man," he stated. "That's why he had their class, even with Setsuna watching over Konoka."

"But?"

"There's going to be a new teacher – Negi Springfield."

"The son of the Thousand Master?" the usually calm and collected woman barely contained herself at the mention of the famous mage and his son. "He was my brother's dear friend and companion when they traveled in the magical world. No one's heard from him in five years."

Ranma nodded, "Setsuna's footwork is a bit sloppy. I know her blade's been made specifically for her, but it looks like she's hit a growth spurt that's throwing off her balance and form."

"Yes," Motoko replied, suddenly aware of the eyes and ears that strained to hear their conversation. "It's something we'll have to work on over the summer break."

Again Ranma nodded. Despite, or perhaps because of his role as a go between for the various factions, his mere appearance warranted the attention of many of the other factions, thus limiting all that he could talk about in the open. "I'd love to stop by the Sou again," he suggested.

"I heard that you specifically made an onsen modeled after the one at the Sou," remarked the swordswoman. "I'd love to come by and try it. I do need to see how my ward is doing in Mahora, and we do have some time available this week. But a soak in the Sou's onsen would be nice."

He smiled. "Yes, that would be nice."

Their conversations postponed, the two masters watched the remainder of the bout.

"It'd be nice if I could keep the girls on for the rest of the break," Konatsu said as he appeared at their booth, fresh drinks on his tray.

With the restaurant full it was no surprise that Haruna had been pressed to help with the service. Somehow she'd managed to convince several of her classmates into helping. Konoka, Akira, Ako, and Makie helped make the service run much faster, leaving the ninja free to help in the kitchen while Ukyo manned the main grill.

Accepting their drinks, Ranma glanced at the napkin and nodded slightly. "Thanks."

It wasn't unusual for him to be contacted by one of the faction leaders or representatives while at the Grill. As one of the few places where magical swordsmen were able to mingle with mundane martial artists the restaurant was essentially the Switzerland of the magical and martial arts world in Japan as all factions and dojos were welcome to patronize the establishment.

'**Beware the mage from Istanbul.'**

Excusing himself from the table, Ranma headed to the men's room. Crowded as the restaurant was it was unusual for someone to bump into him. No one except for a speed master would have noticed that the man wearing a blue gi with a black sash had slipped a note into his hand as Ranma made his way into the men's room. It wasn't until he'd reached the stall in the men's room that he opened the note.

'**Beware the man from Istanbul.'**

Slipping the warning into his pocket, he wondered just who the man from Istanbul was. It wasn't unusual for someone to slip him a note while he was here, yet for two different notes with the same warning to come was unheard of.

By now he was sure that Konatsu had seen the first note. Uncoded as it was it was obvious that the ninja had read it.

'_But why Istanbul?'_ he pondered as he mentally listed off the various factions and magical associations. _'Who has someone from Istanbul?'_

* * *

For centuries Evangeline McDowell had been the most feared being in existence. But it wasn't always like that. In her early days things hadn't been easy. Those had been the days when she'd been foolhardy and dared to take a human partner – a mistake that she hadn't made again until apparently recently.

As an experienced Magistra Magi she had long ago learned to sense when her partner had accessed the magical power that she supplied her Ministra. The normally bold and brash young woman had been the first to actually demand her assistance and then to become her partner, something that had initially intrigued the cursed vampire yet for Shinobu to call upon those powers and activate her artifact while out visiting her boyfriend…

"You're sure there are no reports?" the blond vampire asked for perhaps the tenth time since she'd felt the bond break.

"None," the gynoid stated.

"What in the nine hells did she think she was doing?" snapped the irritable blond.

"Perhaps she's had to dispose of her lover's body," Chachamaru suggested.

"And the other woman," growled Eva.

"Or man."

The vampire blinked. 'When the hell did she develop a sense of humor? Or was she being serious?'

Before she could think about that thought for too long she heard the sound of the keys unlocking the front door.

Expectant eyes turned to the door, focusing on the entrance of her newest partner. Before she could even demand to know where the girl had been Eva took in the telltale signs of a fight. Though Shinobu moved with the practiced grace of a martial artist the way that she automatically protected her ribs and stomach suggested that she'd suffered some sort of blow or blows to that region. "What happened to you?"

"I've been found out," answered the blunette.

She should have been outraged. Yet after centuries of experience she knew better than to lose her cool. "How much does he know?"

"I… I'm not sure."

Evangeline nodded. "Were you followed?"

The blunette shook her head. "But he knows about you. He let me come here."

"He's that powerful?"

Shinobu shook her head. "He wants to speak with you."

"When?"

"Next Sunday."

'_One week,'_ thought the vampire.

"He's only coming to speak with you," Shinobu repeated. "He says that if he senses anything suspicious he'll immediately inform the Dean."

Eva grimaced. She hated being backed into a corner.

"He's not coming here for a fight," the blunette stated, "but he'll be ready for one if it comes to that."

* * *

The soothing hot water of the onsen enhanced the relaxing atmosphere of the Hinata Sou, easing away aches and pains from a long day of strenuous sparring. As enjoyable as the open air baths were though it was not the reason why Ranma had brought his sons to the Hinata Sou.

The slightly eerie green glow of the multiple computer screens illuminated the tiny lab hidden inside of the Hinata Sou's resident mad genius. Despite his mastery of illusion magic and martial arts, Ranma knew his limits. While he could use a computer to surf the web or to use it to store the grades of his students and create a chart following their progress, it was a far cry from what the blond techno-mage could do.

"It's not good," the usually energetic and enthusiastic blond stated.

"What is it?" asked the concerned father.

"His memory is at 90%."

Ranma paused. "Huh?"

"Computers need more free memory to process things faster. The less memory space available the slower he runs basically."

"His reflexes have been getting slower," muttered Ranma.

"He's was designed just for a short term operation," Su added. "Plus, defeating you was his primary goal when I programmed him. The memories you uploaded slow him down significantly, and any additional fight data would slow him down of course, but the biggest issue is this batch of programming" the blond pointed to a file on the monitor.

"What is it?"

"I'm not completely certain," answered Su, "but it looks like it's relationships and information on girls."

Ranma nodded. "Girls are pretty complicated."

Su nodded as well.

"Can you fix it?"

The blond shook her head. "It's not that easy. I've yet to create a computer or any programming that can successfully emulate the mental capabilities of a human. While it is possible that I can create a system that allows you to delete any unnecessary data, it would result in the loss of memory."

"Um, which kind of memory?" he asked for clarification.

"Human memory," Su explained. "You'd have to go through minute by minute of his recorded memory to take out everything that was unnecessary."

A rare scowl formed on the immortal's face.

"I can increase his memory space," the blond suggested. "He'd have to upload his memories onto a server that I can monitor, but he'll have to do it every day. As long has he has access to a computer network he should be able to upload and back up his memories every day."

His concern eased slightly, Ranma nodded. _'Is this what being parent is like?'_

* * *

There were days in the past few months that he'd missed the Hinata Sou, days when the replica onsen seemed to pale in comparison to the original. But it wasn't until he'd soaked in both on the same day that he realized that the difference was in the atmosphere. While Naru and Shinobu's presence had made his onsen more enjoyable, the spacious deck with its wonderful protected view was meant to be shared with a crowd of people, not just by a lonely immortal and his select guests.

"I might have to stop by more often," stated the kendo team's coach as she sat clutched the towel to her bosom.

"I'm sure that Setsuna-chan would appreciate the chance to spar against serious martial artists more often," Motoko added as she slipped into the soothing waters. "And the chance to use an onsen like this would just be icing on the cake."

The immortal nodded even as he graciously averted his eyes from the naked women as they settled into the hot water. With only the adults present he knew that they could finally talk about more private matters. Using the steam from the water Ranma cast a quick scry/illusion for the gathered adults to view.

"I thought you were going to give him something to age him?" the scruffy blond asked from the other side of the water.

"I was," Ranma replied. "But I decided that regardless of my own objections and concerns, it was Negi's decision to make."

"He's only a boy," Motoko interjected.

"But if he's here to teach then clearly he deserves the right to make his own decisions," countered Ranma, "not have his decisions made for him. If we make the calls for him, even if he looks like an adult, would he really be the one in control of things or would we be in control of him? I say let him make his own mistakes and learn from them."

"So you expect him to fail?" Takahata muttered.

"We all fail at some time or another," Naru stated. "I failed to get into Todai the first time, but I still managed to graduate with honors."

"But you were an adult," countered her former lover. "Negi's still a boy."

"A boy whom you, the Dean, and the Magus have all entrusted with taking over your homeroom," Ranma pointed out. "Clearly you each have faith in his ability to not only teach, but to hide the fact that he's a mage from the majority of his students."

Reluctantly the veteran teacher nodded.

"Just extend the faith you have in him a bit further," the raven haired immortal suggested. "Besides, if I wasn't here how would things have gone down? I doubt that anyone else would have been able to age him, right?"

Again Takahata nodded.

"Besides, I said I'd do things my way. I'm sure he'll need plenty of training and experience before he's ready to actually set off to find his father or to actually defend himself from the people who are out to get him or want to use him against his father, but I'll be as gentle as possible."

Takahata eyed him skeptically.

"The boy's already more powerful than you are," Motoko stated.

Ranma nodded. "His potential exceeds mine," he ceded. "Right now he's not that powerful, but his mana reserves are pretty high. Strictly speaking though, your niece is more powerful than he is, but she lacks the any formal training – magical or martial arts wise.

"In 3-A alone Evangeline's clearly the greatest threat," he added, refraining from adding his own personal concerns about the vampire as he did so. "But Chao's pretty powerful as well."

Takahata's brow twitched at the mention of the unusual girl.

"Misora's a mage in training, probably already formed a pactio already. Kaede's got potential, so does Ku Fei – they'd make great partners if he goes with a pactio. Setsuna's good too.

"Makes me wonder if the reason he's been saddled with 2-A is so that he'll find a good partner or several good probationary partners while he's still under-aged."

The usually cheerful and carefree Takahata couldn't help but frown as Ranma nailed the Dean's secret plan dead on.

"That's why 2-A's being given to him?" an exasperated Naru exclaimed. Outraged, she stood up, heedless of the fact that she was currently naked. "He's only ten!"

"But we're treating him as an adult," Ranma repeated as he grasped Naru's wrist before pulling her gently back into the water. "That's why you were eager to have me age him, so that he'd have an older, more powerful body, right?"

"We had considered that," Takahata finally said as he looked Ranma in the eye. "We weren't sure if there were going to be any draw back to it though."

"That's also why Negi and I didn't age him," the immortal explained. "The transition from ten year old boy to fully grown adult would have messed with his sense of balance as well as made him gangly and clumsy until he got used to his new center of gravity and longer limbs. Not to mention the influx of hormones that he wouldn't be used to just yet. With nubile young girls practically throwing themselves at him he'd probably cave in right after the new term started."

Motoko nodded. Having seen it happen before she had firsthand knowledge of the unintended effect of the magic mushrooms.

"At least as a ten year old he wouldn't really be thinking of sex just yet, and the girls can just pass it off easier as innocent teasing. If he was an adult things would get messier," he explained. "I'll still keep an eye out for him and help train him, but he it's not going to be easy."

Reluctantly Takahata nodded. "Then you'll teach him?"

Ranma shook his head. "I'm an illusionist, not a combat mage. Not to mention that I don't do Pactio nor do I use western magic. Nah, he's gotta learn things his own way."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now.

Thanks to all the TFFers for your much needed feedback.

Dreamingfox


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Notes –

Yeah, it's been a while since I last updated, at least for me it has. Been working on other stuff and fleshing out some other ideas and then bouncing them off of the usual sounding board.

Enjoy.

# # # # #

There was once a time when Ranma Saotome was as easy to read as an open book, a time when things were much simpler and where he had fewer responsibilities. Despite the fact that he looked to be in his mid to late teens Ranma Saotome had grown significantly.

The old him, the one from Nerima, would have been content hiding things under his pillow or in his pack following the line of thought of "out of sight out of mind". The current him though was nothing like that.

Illusions were meant to mislead, to befuddle and to hide the truth. It was something that he'd learned while mastering that school of magic, something that he carried over into his everyday life.

*People lie.*

Watching the monitor, Ranma refrained from sighing. His new favorite show, or at least the clips of it on the web, certainly proved to be entertaining.

As a linguist Ranma had made a point of watching television shows from other countries, some for the enjoyment of watching people do stupid things, others for their cultural relevance, and some just to test his understanding of those languages.

This particular show seemed to hit home with him though as the protagonist for the series emphatically clung to the belief that everyone lied. Perhaps it was because he understood that more than most that Ranma was drawn to the medical drama. Well, actually, it was because of that. He certainly didn't care much for medicine beyond basic first aid and pressure points.

People lie; usually to others but sometimes to themselves. It was something that he'd finally called himself on when he'd confronted Shinobu. He'd seen the signs – the missing water samples, the glyphs around Mahora that mimicked his, the brash aggressiveness from the once timid girl… all had been obvious to someone with as keen a mind as himself. Yet he'd chosen to brush them off because lonely.

No, it wasn't just that, not really. It was because he'd felt detached and alone. He'd come to Mahora because it was supposed to be one of the more accepting magical communities, one that blended well with the non-magical populace. The truth though, was that he'd come to Mahora because Naru was there. While she'd interned there as a student teacher, it was mostly because Takahata, Dean Konoe, Eishin, Motoko, and Tsuruko had all pushed for her to be accepted by the exclusive academy. Her acceptance had been key in getting him to come to Mahora.

Yes, he was still in love with Naru. Though he'd vowed to allow her to live her own life until she was ready to commit herself to him, he couldn't help but be drawn in by her.

The knowledge that she'd formed a relationship with Takahata had hurt more than he cared to admit. It had opened the door for him to perhaps get back at the man by secretly dating his students, but in the end the immortal's morals had prevented him from using such underhanded tactics. Unfortunately Asuna's growing affection for his younger, immature persona had forced him to rely on Su's invention as a convenient scapegoat.

Another consequence of his jealousy was his fling with Shinobu. Yes, he cared for Shinobu, perhaps even loved her. But he hadn't been fair with her. If he was then he'd have waited until he was ready for a real relationship instead of jumping into one with her just to keep her around.

It wasn't until he'd started to add up the missing magical ingredients and cursed items that he realized what she was up to. Unable to overlook her actions he'd finally put his foot down, confronting Shinobu and putting an end to their relationship.

Like Dr. House making the final, correct diagnose after some random insight, Ranma had made the connections only after his trip to England. The week away from his then-lover allowed his mind to clear (and his body to recover from the rush of hormones), providing him with the clarity of mind to see what he'd previously missed.

As the credits for the show began to roll, the immortal closed down the window before shutting down the computer. Checking on his now slumbering sons before slipping out of the house, he made his way towards the cursed vampire's home via a new network of teleportation glyphs.

People lie. As much as he wanted to trust everyone in Mahora, Ranma knew that he couldn't trust everyone. The astute mercenary was most likely the one who had marked his original set of glyphs, and though she'd removed the tracking spell on them Ranma knew better than to rely on them once again.

The cunning yet seemingly docile Dean clearly knew more than he let on. It didn't help that he was keeping secrets from some of his own staff. Then again, Ranma wasn't sure if some of the secrets weren't necessary, secrets like Ranma's immortality or Evangeline's checkered past were probably meant to protect the two immortals, but how many more secrets, how many more lies was he keeping?

How many lies was he keeping from Naru; from his sons? What about his students and fellow teachers?

Shaking his head, he cleared his head of such thoughts as he focused on the task at hand.

The short trip to Evangeline's took far longer than he cared for as he'd purposely taken several different and indirect jumps just in case someone had been tailing him. He couldn't help but sigh at the indirectness of his path as he'd once been known to take the most direct path to his destination. Though he preferred to be direct and straightforward, he'd long since learned that not everyone responded in kind.

The prolonged journey allowed him the time he needed to steel his resolve and mind as he got into his adopted character. As a master thespian he'd long since learned that it was best to slowly sink into his character rather than flipping a switch and jumping into the character, especially when the character was very similar to who he was or when it was someone he knew. Even aided as he was by his illusions he knew better than to rely on just his magic. No, the best illusions were the ones that were most believable.

Donning the white gold ring, he waited for the transformation. Unlike the powerful glamour he'd used the first time he'd encountered the hunting vampire, the enchanted ring would keep him in his form as well as keep the powerful day walking vampire from befuddling him as she'd done during their previous encounter.

Martin's ability to cast magic mirrored Ranma's ability to fight, relying heavily on counter spells and redirecting spells or simply adding just the right amount of mana into an opponent's spells to disrupt them or even steal them mid-cast. Perhaps that was why Ranma had taken to the Swede so well. Both spell castors lacked power, but made up for it in spades with knowledge and control.

His own keen mind and perceptive senses told him that Evangeline's cabin had multiple layers of defensive enchantments, all of them renewed but not strengthened since Shinobu's return to the vampire a week ago. Tripping the first sentry ward, he opted to wait for the vampire and her partners to emerge. Though it was still another week or so until the next full moon, Ranma knew better than to enter a vampire's lair uninvited.

"I'm surprised you came so late."

"I wanted you to feel at ease," he stated as he looked up at the voluptuous blond. Power radiated from the cursed vampire.

"Like I'd feel comfortable around someone who went to Scholomance," replied the vampire.

"I'm not here to hunt you," stated the illusionist, giving little away in neither confirming nor denying her claim. As a creature of the night it was only natural that she felt wary of the greatest school for esoteric magic. Had he gone to the Vatican or some other school for holy magic though she'd really have been on the defensive.

"No, just here to study me," she remarked. "You wouldn't be the first to try to gain some insignificant insight as to why I am immune to the sun."

"Immortality doesn't interest me," he replied. "I'm just here for the girl."

He watched as Evangeline considered his words, unsure what to make of the true born vampire or her bond with Shinobu.

"She's already bound to me," the platinum blond stated.

"No bond is unbreakable."

"True," she ceded, her golden eyes locking with his grey ones. "But breaking it comes at a cost. Can you afford it?"

Cool grey eyes scanned golden ones as he probed her mind telepathically. Despite her age she appeared none the wiser for the intrusion, though it might have been due to her de-aging curse. Unsure, he peered into her mind's eye until he found something he could bargain with. "Your partner is supposed to help you in battle against another mage," he stated. "In exchange for freeing the girl, I shall stand in for her – but only once."

The obvious appeal of having a powerful, accomplished mage assisting her should she need it clearly caught her attention despite the fact that she appeared to have been afforded with some protection from Dean Konoe. "Agreed."

"Agreed," he seconded. "The girl can continue to train with you if she wants, so long as no harm comes to her."

Evangeline quickly nodded, accepting that accord.

"She's also not to know of our arrangement."

The vampire's lip curled at the corner as she sneered. Clearly she'd expected more of him but chose not to say anything else.

"How will I get in touch with you?" she finally asked.

"You won't," he replied as he turned to leave. "I'll know when you'll need me."

Just because people lied didn't mean that he'd always have to. Just because people lie didn't mean that they always had to. Sometimes the truth went a long ways.

X X X X X

_Saotome's Grill_ was a bastion for the dwindling number of serious martial artists. The food that was served and the ability to spar against other styles and schools more than made up for the money that the patrons spent, but the true value of the restaurant was the information that was passed on.

Though Konatsu was considered a failed kunoichi, few martial artists considered him a failed ninja or martial artist. Even though he had left his family and had been accepted into the Saotome clan, the cross-dressing ninja's name still carried significant weight in the shadows. While few of those peers actually patronized his restaurant openly, his keen eye had noticed more than a few of his masked brethren take note of the young girls from Mahora as they sparred against the Saotome heirs.

The slight flicker of the candles were the polite way for the shadows to announce themselves to the ninja cook as he prepped the food for the always busy Sunday service. Still, the experienced ninja continued to expertly cut the cabbage without looking up to acknowledge the others. "Good evening."

"Good evening," a rough voice returned.

The sound of his keen blade cutting through the crisp leafy vegetable punctuated the pronounced silence as Konatsu placed the voice. When dealing with shadows it was best not to reveal their names, but the fact that such a high ranking ninja had come here meant that something was definitely up. The last time someone of such stature had come had been right after Haruna's birth. If not for the fact that he'd been labeled as a failed kunoichi he was sure that they would have put up more of a fight in convincing him to allow his only child to be trained in their shadowy arts. But that was then, this was now.

"I did not come here to discuss old business," the voice stated, easing Konatsu's fears. "She has begun to take on her family's art and Saotome-dono is more than capable of instructing her."

A slight nod was all the cross-dressing ninja needed to give as he picked up another halved cabbage.

"But her classmate makes for a promising kunoichi."

'_Ah,_' he thought, '_the lost generation_.' "That she does."

"She needs a true master – and I can think of none better than the last generation's prodigy."

Before he could even cut into the half of cabbage, the flames of the scented candles flickered, signaling the departure of the prestigious ninja and his escort.

As much as he enjoyed his life with his family and the restaurant, the proud ninja couldn't help but feel a thrill running through his spine. Having witnessed her fight against his nephew he had insisted that the girls continue to help him over their break. As skilled as Haruna was in the art, she clearly lacked the motivation to actually take up his style.

But Kaede… she could inherit his style. She clearly had the potential and desire to learn. Though her form was sloppy she had gone further than anyone had expected considering that she was self-taught. How much further could she go under the watchful eye of even a failed master such as himself?

X X X X X

An unseasonal chill greeted the handful of morning people as a hint of dew covered the leaves and blades of grass. Puffs of warm, white mist floated from the mouths of the panting youths as they raced through the yard, heedless of the water their feet collected as they sparred. It was a testament to their skill that only their feet were wet despite the fierce pace of the energetic exchange between the older Saotome and his sons.

With only the three men in attendance it was easier for Ranma to let loose, pushing his sons further than either had expected. Though he took pride in the fact that he had other students, he couldn't help but hold reservations about teaching all of his students everything that he had learned over the course of his unnatural life. While he would teach the others Martial Arts Tea Ceremony or Martial Arts Cooking, it was Tenma and Hiro who would inherit the sealed schools as well as the styles and skills he'd developed and perfected after leaving Nerima.

A swift kick connected with the side of Hiro's knee, sending the boxing prodigy tumbling even as Tenma rushed in with a flying knee. Superior speed and skill allowed Ranma to shift the direction of his initial attack even as he followed through with the low kick that had swept Hiro's feet out from under him. The now middle kick connected with Tenma's calf, throwing the taller of the two boys off balance and forcing him to abandon his planned attack.

Withdrawing his leg, Ranma landed nimbly, grinning as his sons scrambled to their feet. "When I was your age I'd managed to master the art of redirecting force," he sneered, taunting Hiro. "And when I was your age" he glanced at Tenma "I was able to stay in the air for nearly half a minute and throw hundreds of punches and kicks."

Huffing and puffing for air, the two glanced at each other before redirecting their gazes at him.

"The problem that you two have is that you're depending on your first attack to connect," lectured Ranma. "You've got to be able to string several attacks together just to create an opening against someone like me or my old man."

Every word he'd spoke was true. There was no need to embellish his accomplishments because there was no need to. While he'd thought his old man crazy and his methods unethical, Ranma couldn't deny that the man got the results he wanted. As a father, Genma had fallen short, but as a teacher he knew what he was doing. Still, that didn't mean that Ranma wanted to take the same road his father had tread. No, he'd walk his own path.

"The first thing you'll both need to do is work on strategy," the immortal stated. "I'm going to teach you to think on your feet."

X X X X X

As one of the few people who really knew Ranma Saotome well it came as no surprise to Konatsu that his younger brother had opted not to show up at the _Grill_ two Sundays in a row. While Ranma enjoyed a good challenge, the elder Saotome knew that the majority of the challenges the previous week had been directed towards the younger Saotome's sons and students. Given the number of bouts that his students had been involved in Konatsu was sure that Ranma had already analyzed each of his students and taken steps to adjust their training.

It came as no surprise that Ranma had insisted that both Asuna and Ayaka both undergo intense training under Ukyo and Konatsu while the younger Saotome focused on his sons. Still, the two young beauties were a boon to the restaurant as they drew in some of the more reclusive and irregular patrons.

But it was the taller and busty Kaede that truly caught the cross-dressing ninja's eye as the self-trained kunoichi flowed through the restaurant while serving her tables. While she moved with a practiced grace that nearly appeared to be natural, his keen eye caught the subtle shifts in her movement that suggested she wasn't as accomplished as he had been when he'd been her age.

With the semi-busy schedule the older ninja had little time to actually approach the younger ninja about teaching her. But with her early arrival to help prepare for the busy Sunday service he finally spotted an opening, "Kaede, you're self-taught, aren't you?"

The aspiring kunoichi paused as she looked at him.

"If you like, I could teach you…" leaving the rest unsaid, he turned his attention back to the table he was currently arranging as Ayaka and Asuna appeared by the kitchen door. Though he'd said little, he was sure that he'd said enough.

The few times that the two were in the same room together he could feel her sneaking glances at him as she sought to discern his ability and skill while also tending to the needs of her assigned tables and guests. Still, she said and did little else to indicate her interest or disinterest in training under him. Regardless, the offer was made. All he needed to do was wait for her to make her decision.

X X X X X

The soothing silence greeted the immortal as he entered the onsen. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt the steaming water envelop him as he savored the peace and solitude that had been missing for the past week. Though he had welcomed the warm, welcoming atmosphere that came with the handful of girls from 2A, his sons and the other teachers, but Ranma couldn't help but be grateful for the occasional soak without having a crowd around.

It helped that Tenma had gone to Hinata to accompany the girls who had gone to help Konatsu and Ukyo with their restaurant, and that Hiro was studying with Negi for his entrance exams. With the house completely to himself Ranma was free to use the onsen without any inhibitions. Regardless, Ranma knew better than to be caught off guard, leaving his shorts within arm's reach along with his towel.

Though his body relaxed, his keen mind continued to work as he contemplated his options. The situation with training and his sons already worked out, he now had to focus on the other newest resident – Negi Springfield.

The young mage's potential was frightening. Though inexperienced, the task of being a successful teacher at Mahora was supposed to help him become a better mage, how Ranma wasn't sure, but he knew that class 2A would definitely test the young man.

*Penny for your thoughts?*

"Is that all?" he asked as he leaned back, tilting his head back so that he could see the auburn haired beauty. Had he been that preoccupied that he'd missed the chime alerting him when someone entered his yard?

With his thoughts now focused on his immediate person, the raven haired immortal glanced up at his fellow teacher from his upside-down vantage.

"Everyone must be at the _Grill_," the astute woman concluded.

"Yeah," he replied off-handedly. "Negi's working on his Japanese and tutoring Hiro for his exam tomorrow."

Naru nodded, "So that means that the girls of 2A are taking the two around town."

The immortal blinked.

"Gotcha!" Naru exclaimed playfully as she sauntered over towards him and the onsen.

Her infectious smile seemed to ease away all other tensions and unease that resided within him.

"So," she said as she removed her towel before stepping into the hot water, "what are you thinking about?"

"Lesson plans," he replied as he sat up. Having seen her naked before he thought little of the fact that she was so casual around him meant that she trusted him. He couldn't help but recall some of the instances where Keitaro had inadvertently walked in on her or stumbled into her thus resulting her in belting him. If not for the landlord's virtual invulnerability (which surpassed even Ryoga's durability) the clumbsy former ronin probably would have passed long ago.

Ever skeptical, Naru gazed at him.

"Training lessons," he revised. It was much closer to the truth, though just barely, unfortunately he wasn't thinking about his own students but one Negi Springfield.

"The bet with Tenma?" the auburn haired woman asked.

Ranma nodded despite it not being the truth. "But mostly Tenma and Hiro's training."

"The girls are training with Ukyo and Konatsu?" she asked despite knowing the answer.

"For now, but I've got the rest of their break to instruct them," he added.

"And working at the restaurant will help?" she asked out of curiosity.

Ranma nodded again.

"Everything's training with you, isn't it?"

He smiled slyly. "Yeah," he replied as inspiration suddenly hit. "Everything's training."

X X X X X

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now. It's been a while since I updated, so you'll just have to settle for this.

Dreamingfox


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Notes –

Yeah, it's warmer out, and even with my allergies I'm still opting to go outside rather than stay inside (it doesn't help that Sony got hacked and I haven't been gaming as much lately). Throw in the fact that I'm starting up a fish tank and a separate lizard tank (or 3), and my time isn't as free as it used to be. Still gotta start working out more too…

But blowing out my knee seems to free me up to write. Weird how things happen like this…

Yes, I've gotten all the reviews about changing the title of this fic. Is the other fic of the same name that bad that I should change the name of this fic?

* * *

History – the branch of knowledge dealing with past events; a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account.

For one Chao Linshen though history was her present. Yet the history she'd learned and read was nothing like the present she now experienced. Sure, the technology and much of the world's politics were the same, but the smaller details were wrong.

"There's no mention of him being in Mahora," the displaced time-traveler muttered as she finished scanning the history text before her. "There's no record of him before 2012, and that's just a mention that he attended and won a minor martial arts tournament…."

Frustrated, the young brunette glanced at the calendar on her wall. Though she'd spent the past sixteen months in Mahora she knew that her time was short. Still, his unexpected presence here could jeopardize everything.

"'You can't change the past,'" she repeated, "'only learn from it.'"

Gritting her teeth, she glared at the calendar. "I will change the past," she vowed to herself. "'If a Buddha stand in your way, cut him down.'"

* * *

In the short time since attaining the rank of master and becoming a teacher Ranma had slowly come to accept that progress couldn't be measured the same way with everyone. It had become evident during the string of exams that he'd given his students at the beginning and end of the previous term and it was becoming very obvious now as he watched Ayaka and Asuna spar. Clearly Asuna was more naturally talented, but Ayaka made up for it with her keen and perceptive mind as she planned out her attacks and defensive combos to force the shorter but tougher girl to leave herself open.

With the blond instruction had been easy as she quickly picked up the principles and theory behind the moves, but it soon became clear that she was hitting her limits as she lacked her rival's ki and mana reserves.

Asuna was just too stubborn to accept failure, and combined with her durability and ability to take a hit, she pushed Ayaka hard. Taking a solid punch to the cheek she refused to back down, even as she came up short with a punch of her own.

Ranma shook his head before turning his attention to his other students. Of all the girls Makie was the most driven. It also helped that she had the most years of training, unfortunately she preferred to stay within the boundaries of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics.

The most physically talented of his students though also proved to be the least interested in the Arts as Ranma taught them. Unlike the others the mangaka knew about magic and only studied the physical arts so that she could learn the mystical arts.

In only a few months they had quickly learned the basics of martial arts. Now it was time for him to take them to the next level. While they wouldn't be learning to physically manifest their ki, they were ready to start learning about it and what it allowed them to do. Asuna was already using it to help her become more durable, though she was at least a year or two away from being thrown into a boulder repeatedly, and Makie was learning to manipulate her ribbon beyond anything that she'd thought possible before she began to study under him. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind of the bizarre image of Makie tossing around a flurry of razor sharp bandanas.

Now he knew that he'd been thinking far too long and hard about his students and their progress. Envisioning them as one of his old rivals was never a good thing. But at least it'd been Makie acting like Ryoga and not the later dressing like the former.

Retaining his composure, Ranma signaled an end to the sparring bouts. With everyone now used to the usual cooling down stretches the immortal master left the dojo.

"Perhaps a change of scenery would do them some good."

"Perhaps," he muttered as he walked past the first woman he'd ever admitted that he'd loved. He didn't need to look at her to know that she was thinking about the beach. Even though he had led a typical teenager's lifestyle he had at least enjoyed the beach in his youth.

"I'm sure Kitsune would love to have some help with the Hinata Café this summer," the sly auburn haired woman suggested.

The pigtailed man nodded absently, "The old man did want me to check up on the rumors of several students working at the resorts and hotels over the break."

He could feel the warmth from her winning grin as she fell into step beside him. "Perhaps a change of scenery would do them some good."

* * *

The gentle buzzing of the young cicadas' filled the otherwise silent grove as the buxom blunette finished her daily exercises. Wiping her brow she calmly enhanced her senses as the lingering light of the day pierced the green canopy overhead.

Ever since leaving the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū and Ranma, Shinobu made sure to continue her daily practice on some level. Usually it was sparring with Chachamaru or Evangeline, but occasionally she just ran through the forest alone. Unlike the tropical jungle inside of Evangeline's magical castle the wind in the real world was refreshing and crisp. The scent of the pines invigorated her as she ran. While she was far from being able to roof jump like her former sensei, she was more than capable of reaching the sturdy branches in the trees that blanketed the cursed vampire's cabin. Powerful legs combined with the springiness of the branches allowed her to traverse the gaps between the few maples scattered in with the pines.

Her daily run through the forest usually relaxed her. But today's run was different from the rest. While she was far from being as aware of her surroundings as Ranma could be, Shinobu knew that she wasn't alone.

'_Two, no, three kilometers into the woods; that's when they started following me.'_ Steadying her breath she mentally mapped out the forest behind her, recalling the locations of the various trees and the best places for someone to hide themselves from her. _'They're definitely behind me, but where?'_

"Shinobu?" her master's voice interrupted.

'_And it's gone,'_ the blunette mused as she noted the lack of any other presence in the forest. "Yes?"

"You're done early," the petit vampire stated. "But at least your tail's gone."

The taller girl nodded. As she'd suspected her master's presence had driven off her pursuer, but not before either of them had managed to ascertain just who it was that had followed her during her run.

Neither said anything until both were back inside the cabin as the cicadas' hum was silenced by the air-tight door.

"It looks like I'll have to teach you how to strengthen the wards around the cabin," Evangeline stated.

Shinobu nodded.

"Get some rest; you're in for a long night."

* * *

Things never were easy. It was something that he'd learned long ago in a past life. Yet that lesson seemed to haunt him even now. A simple trip to the beach became a mass exodus from Nerima, only in this case it was Mahora. He'd intended to just take his students, but he couldn't leave Negi alone. Of course Naru wanted to come along too. It was only supposed to be a small affair, yet somehow much of 2-A managed to come with him.

"They're not all with us," Naru shrugged as she sat beside him.

Ranma resisted the urge to sigh or roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah; they've all got their own hotel rooms and what not but we have to keep them from getting out of control and reflecting poorly on the rest of Mahora."

The auburn haired woman smiled weakly.

It would have been fine if it had only been the girls from 2-A, it really would. But somehow some of the boys from the junior and senior high schools were coming along as well. It didn't help that the beach they were going to was one of the more popular destinations over the break, or that a good number of the Mahora students managed to find jobs there over the break. He wasn't there to oversee them all, technically, just the ones who came with him, but odds were that the boys would be attracted towards the girls, and thus he'd have to put his foot down eventually.

"You take care of the girls," he stated firmly, "and I'll deal with the boys."

"I could help," Negi interjected.

Ranma couldn't help but glance at the boy turned teacher. "You can help Naru," he stated.

The young boy couldn't help but beam at the older man's apparent acceptance and his assignment.

Even with the other teachers around, Ranma couldn't help but think that perhaps Negi was in over his head. Still, the boy needed to get to know his future students and as odd and eccentric as 2-A was, well, the kid needed to know what he was getting into. Besides, it would also be a good chance for the young mage in training to test his ability to not use magic.

The rest of the bus ride passed in relative silence – relative in that the immortal martial artist was able to mentally tone out most of the excited chatter from the amassed students. Most of the students in Mahora were specially selected to attend the school for a reason. A strong majority came from magical families or had experience with magic of some sort, but like Hermione Granger or Lily Evans there were a few who came from non-magical families.

Given the little information that Dean Konoe and the others had provided Negi, Ranma was sure that the boy was going to be caught flat-footed. Few magi trained or developed their magical awareness, then again, only masters seemed to find the motivation to force themselves to train that ability. Even Takahata, the most esteemed and accomplished mage outside of the Dean himself, was not capable of tracking another mage by their aura.

Yes, the girls of 2-A would be a good gage of the young mage's ability.

Striking blue eyes locked with brown ones as the always confident and cool Konoka peered over the back of her seat at him.

As the Dean's granddaughter and the child of the former heir of the Shinmeiryu, the always polite girl was perhaps the most promising mage. Unfortunately her grandfather had insisted that she not be instructed in magic, a point of contention that the annoyed the Aoyama and the Shinmeiryu to no end. "Can I help you?"

"I heard that you went to England to get an English copy of the latest Harry Potter book," she stated.

"I didn't know you were a fan," he replied, a slight smile on his face.

Ever the polite young woman, Konoka nodded slightly.

"I've already finished it," the immortal stated. "Do you want to borrow it?"

"I couldn't," she insisted.

"Don't worry," he added as he reached into his backpack. "It's one of three copies I picked up – this one is the one I'm willing to take to the beach and loan out."

"Thank you."

"You like Harry Potter?" the ever rambunctious Asuna blurted as she finally took notice of her roommate's conversation.

"Yes," both Ranma and Konoka replied in unison.

"That's such a kid's book," the redhead said as she rolled her eyes.

"It's very well written," the English teacher insisted. "And the world that she's created is wonderfully imagined yet incredibly vivid and believable."

"That's something Haruna would say," sighed Asuna. "What good is magic if you can't bring people back from the dead or can't use it to get what you want?"

"It's because the magic in Harry Potter is believable that makes the series unique," Naru interjected. "While it is capable of making the dreams of the user into reality, it comes at a cost. Just like in the real world, nothing comes easily or for free. If everything was easy to achieve or came too freely it'd just be another fantasy."

By now it was clear that several others around them were engrossed by their conversation as several heads bobbed in agreement. Ranma couldn't help but note that most of them belonged to the various magical students.

"Asuna says she doesn't believe in magic," Konoka sighed playfully, "but give her a love potion and she'll believe in it."

Several girls giggled, causing the redhead to blush deeply even as she stole a glance at Tenma as he sat beside Luke.

Before anyone could further tease Asuna the bus began to slow noticeably.

"We're here!" several students at the front exclaimed exuberantly.

"Should we check in first or head to the beach now?"

"Wow!"

"Feel that ocean air."

Grateful for the diversion that the beach provided them, Ranma slipped Konoka the large book. "Enjoy it," he said with a smile. "Just don't get it wet."

* * *

The dark, thick curtains failed to hold back the golden glow of the warm late morning sun.

The sun; the damnable sun - bane of all vampires and other creatures of the night – hung high in the sky over the secluded cabin.

"I wish we had something other than pines around here," grumbled the petite blond as she forced herself to sit at the kitchen table.

"You picked them because it's harder for someone to hide their presence and because the needles help hide your own tracks," her stalwart companion remarked idly.

Unprepared for what seemed to her to be a snide remark, Evangeline eyed the gynoid. "Damned pines..."

"Shall I cut some down and plant more cherry trees?"

"No," the vampire scowled. "Forget about the pines. Once you've served breakfast I want you to contact Mana."

"Yes Mistress."

* * *

Salty mist filled the air as the raven haired man wove an unexpected path through the crashing surf in a display of unbelievable dexterity, balance, and skill.

"Woohoo!" the exuberant master shouted as he directed his board up the towering wave before catching some air. Spinning twice before his board once again connected with the warm waves he spared a glance back at his students. "Come on! Keep up!"

"How the hell does he do that?" the buxom blond exclaimed as she balanced herself precariously on the rolling waves.

"'Balance training'," muttered the mangaka.

"This is insane," the petit redhead grumbled as she leaned forward.

Standing as he was, the immortal martial arts master keep one on his student as she paddled hard and pressed herself against her board, struggling to catch the next wave. Soon a rolling wave separated her from her peers as the growing wave descended upon her. He clearly saw the slight grimace on her face as she concentrated on the wave descending upon her; her apprehensive mind trying to discern the proper moment to spring from her board and onto her feet.

In a flash she made the quick transition from laying down to standing tall, her feet spread just enough to balance her slight frame over her surf board. Her moment of victory though was short lived as she felt herself shifting too far to her left. Slightly panicked, she shifted her weight to her right abruptly before she spread her arms to distribute her weight and alter her center of gravity.

"Good job Makie!" he shouted encouragingly. "Now just feel the water beneath you while you keep an eye out for what's ahead of you!"

Riding out the rest of his wave, Ranma paddled back out to his remaining students. While some were clearly waiting for the right wave, most of them were trying to gather their nerves and courage. It didn't help that their small group had attracted the attention of many on the beach as few dared to ride the waves. The fact that Genma and Ranma seemed to be experts at riding the waves and that even Hiro showed a surprising aptitude for the extreme water sport had drawn the attention of many who opted to stay on the steady and safe sands.

"Now," he smirked as he looked over his students, "I want you all to spend the rest of the day riding the waves. Genma, Hiro, you'll look after the girls."

Both boys nodded confidently.

"But what are you going to do?" the ever curious mangaka asked.

"I've got some business to take care of," he replied. "Like check us into our rooms and set up more of your training."

Despite his desire to continue actively overseeing his students' instruction, Ranma couldn't help but tend to another matter first. While checking into the hotel would help save them some time later, the immortal had other things in store for his afternoon.

* * *

A rare sense of peace and quiet filled the City of Mahora. Street carts and store fronts were empty as the merchants that so depended on the hordes of students had also packed up for a short break or had opted to have their stores worked on while the schools were on their summer break. But the open streets provided those handful of students and teachers who remained a great degree of privacy and space that often was missing during the school year.

"It's unusual for you to invite me out here, not that I mind of course."

The petite vampire nodded at the taller, darker skinned woman. "I'm sure you know why I asked you out here."

Ever the professional, Tatsumiya Mana inclined her head slightly as she picked up her cup of steaming java. "You chose somewhere out in the open where you can easily spot or at least pin-point anyone who might be spying on you. This spot in particular is one that you and I both frequent regularly so it is not unusual for either of us to be here, but it's far back enough to provide you with all the privacy you need without having to put up any wards or privacy spells."

Both women sipped their respective cups as their keen senses scanned the area.

"You're here to ask about that strange presence last night, aren't you?" Mana asked as she set her cup down.

Setting her own cup down Evangeline stirred her tea in response.

"Why? What do I get out of this?"

"Whoever it was seems to have been following my newest partner."

A slight widening of the taller woman's iris told the vampire that the mercenary track coach had been clearly not expected that tidbit of information.

"Maehara?"

Eva casually tipped her head before picking up her tea.

"She's Saotome's former student, correct?"

Again she inclined her head slightly. Having already given out one secret Eva opted not to reveal that Shinobu had been the English teacher's lover.

"I wonder if she's something more," Mana remarked.

'_She's fishing for more,'_ Eva mused as she tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. "She was his first student."

For a moment Mana appeared to be considering things as she picked up her dark drink and sipped.

'_Shinobu is his first student, but not his only one. Narusegawa is supposed to be one as well. Then there's that air head Asuna and her former rival the class rep, Makie, and Haruna…'_ "It's been following Saotome's students," Eva said as she finally made the connection. "And she's the last one on campus."

"While no one saw who it was we can confirm that someone has been by to check out the Saotome compound."

'_Again with Saotome; just what is it about him? Perhaps it's time I ask Shinobu about him some more.'_

* * *

Though he had promised to watch over Negi, Ranma really wished that he could find a legitimate reason to ditch the ever curious and inquisitive young mage.

"Training," the young aspiring teacher muttered, "do you turn everything into training?"

It wasn't the first time he'd heard someone questioning his methods and the fact that Negi was a foreigner and a kid simply added to the fact that the boy was bewildered by Ranma's methods. "Yeah, it's not much though. When I took Naru and Shinobu to Australia they had to deal with huge waves and sharks."

"You've been to Australia?"

Black hair bobbed as the immortal nodded. "I know that you're excited about the whole teaching thing, so I'll give you a crash course. We're going to be staying at a hotel with lots of Mahora students. The floors are going to be co-ed, but the rooms aren't. Our job is to make sure that the rooms stay that way."

Eagerly Negi nodded. "I've always wanted to try this ward"

"No magic," Ranma reprimanded. "Remember, you're supposed to hide the fact that you're a mage; best way to do that is to not use magic."

Again Negi nodded.

"We're going to inspect the hotel and get a lay of the building so that when we patrol the place tonight we know every nook, every hiding place, and every way a student or someone else could sneak into the hotel or into someone's room."

Ranma watched as Negi nodded a third time. Though he'd be encumbered by the young mage, the master martial artist knew that it was best that he not expose his own magical abilities either to the young mage under his care or to the mysterious presence that continued to observe him.

* * *

The scent of grilled fish and salty sea air wafted through the open window causing the young woman's stomach to growl.

"Hungry?"

Naru smiled at her young companion, "Maybe a little."

"Should we get something to eat when we get down to the lobby, sempai?"

"Why not," she beamed. Though she'd initially objected to being called sempai in public, Naru couldn't help but take to the title, but only when the girls weren't around. After patrolling the hotel for much of the week with young Negi Springfield she'd become used to having him around. "I think they've got some squid on the grill."

Naru watched as Negi paused, unsure if she was teasing him or not. While England was an island nation like Japan, the similarities ended there. With little more than a few weeks under his belt Negi was still getting used to the food that the others had been enjoying so much.

"I think we can find you a nice chocolate mint ice cream too," she added, teasing him further.

Still wary, the young gentleman perked up at the mention of ice cream. "I thought they were out?"

"I told the cook to keep some aside for me," she grinned playfully.

* * *

There was once a time when Ranma Saotome didn't have any enemies. It was a time when things were much simpler and easier; where he didn't have to worry about anything except how to lose his various fiancées or wait for whatever new technique his rivals had mastered or learned just to defeat him. Yes, it was a time of rivals, not of enemies.

Yes, simple times full of simple notions.

Though he had long ago accepted that he couldn't go back to change anything, Ranma couldn't help but occasionally look back at those "carefree" and "innocent" days with his more skeptical immortal eyes. Those he'd once called comrades and friends had in truth been convenient rivals and enemies. The fact that he was the best and most notorious of the fighters who had survived Nerima meant that he had simply gained the most attention. Still, that life was nearly fifteen years ago. With his less than stellar memory it was possible that there were at least a dozen spurned fiancé or fiancées roaming around, and then there where the other fighters from their various schools and dojos seeking to avenge themselves, their sensei, or their school.

Had he still been as naïve as he'd been back in Nerima Ranma would have simply waited for them to come out and challenge him, then trounce upon him once said challenge was issued. This Ranma knew better than to trust in just his own skill. Were he on his own he knew that he would seek out the unseen observer, but he wasn't alone. With Naru and the others around he couldn't do that.

Instead he'd taken to warding the hotel and setting up magical escape routes just in case things got nasty.

"I can't believe it's been a week already," Luke groaned.

Absently Ranma nodded.

"I don't want to go back," the werewolf pouted even as his girlfriend leaned against him. "There was so much more I wanted to do at the beach."

Forced glance disapprovingly at his student, Ranma gave him a light yet scathing glare. With the full moon only a few nights away the immortal wasn't willing to take any chances. Though Luke had exceptional control when he turned there were just too many people around that could get hurt. And then there was the mysterious presence that seemed to follow the immortal.

"I can't wait to get back," Asuna stated. "We all had fun, but now it's time to get serious."

Ranma nodded again. "There's only a week left of summer break. Do you think she's ready?"

Tenma nodded.

"Fine," the elder Saotome shrugged. "Starting at sunrise tomorrow her challenge starts. Asuna will have one week to try and land a hit on me."

* * *

The gentle glow of dawn filled the eastern horizon as the small crowd filled the doorway to the dojo. Two lone figures stood across from each other, both eagerly waiting for the sun to appear.

"It's not too late," Ranma teased as he looked down at his son's sole student.

"You could just admit that he's better than you expected," Asuna replied. Despite her apparent calm her voice faltered ever so slightly.

All eyes were on them.

* * *

"Is he really going to fight here?" the taller of the two figures asked.

"It looks like it."

"He knows we're watching him," the cloaked woman stated.

"He's creating an opening in hopes of drawing us out."

"You're still intent on this?"

"Of course."

Shaking her head, the woman vanished.

"I want to see if you're still worth my time. Come on Ranma Saotome, show me what you and your students can do."

* * *

Ranma Saotome stood tall as the summer sun shone on his back. Eyes closed he focused his senses on the mysterious presences hiding just beyond the edge of his property. The cool morning air rushed into his lungs as he took a deep, calming breath.

Even with his eyes closed and his focus on the unseen observers the master martial artist easily dodged the fiery girl's lunging punch. "Not good enough."

A swift middle kick and back round house kick likewise missed their mark as the elusive master carelessly floated out of her reach.

"Too slow."

* * *

Fighting back a yawn, the youngest Saotome stood up. "I'm going to get some breakfast," the boy stated. "Anyone want some?"

"How can you"

"He gave her the whole week," Hiro interrupted as he turned his back to his father's students.

"Come on," Narusegawa said as she stood up, "Hiro's right. There's no way Ranma's going to let her land a hit on him this soon."

The other girls exchanged glances. Though they hoped that Asuna would eventually prevail, they couldn't help but acknowledge that both Hiro and Naru were right.

"It is pretty early," the towering blond added as he stood up. "And I doubt she'll give up anytime soon…."

* * *

"It's done," the woman stated as she appeared beside the youth.

"Good," the shorter figure stated. "Now go get me something to eat."

"They're still fighting?"

"She's still trying to hit him," he corrected. "Is he as good as you remember?"

"Better."

The boy grinned. "Good."

* * *

Ranma Saotome was a patient man. Fortunately he was also an energetic one as well. After twelve minutes of continuous fighting he'd given up on the notion of being able to convince the proud and stubborn girl that she was better off calling it a day and returning in the morning. Still, he had to admit that she was still able to stand much less chase after him after fourteen hours of "sparring". True, she'd spent much of the day lunging at him with her poorly executed kicks and punches, but she'd also shown flashed of potential. The barrage of punches, elbows, and knees after lunch had been inspired, but futile against someone like him.

"You do know that there's no way in hell that she'll land a hit on him," Hiro stated as he took a seat between his brother and Naru.

Ranma couldn't help but smirk as he sprang away from Asuna, giving his students another example of his superiority over the spunky girl.

All eyes turned to Tenma for a moment as the older sibling contemplated his student's situation.

"Even you can't hit me when I'm going all out," the elder Saotome reiterated. "And she's your student."

For a moment all eyes watched as the energetic and hard headed strawberry blond unleashed a fierce volley of punches, none of which came close to connecting with the more experienced fighter.

"Nice," Ranma added as he leapt out of Asuna's reach one again. Springing off of the wall, he flipped in the air before landing several meters away from the disheveled girl. "But not good enough."

Taking advantage of the momentary respite, the immortal master extended his senses, trying to lock onto the mysterious observers, _'Mana, Takahata, and that one… no, there are two people…'_

Patience and time were both things that Ranma Saotome had plenty of. After untold hours of vigorously avoiding Asuna's attacks, he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed in the rest of his students as he had gotten bored of watching them watch him avoid the strawberry blond.

"Everything is training," Ranma shouted as he flipped over his opponent. "But you lazy louts are just sitting there. If you're not doing something in the next minute I'll be hounding you!"

Like flies being swatted the youths dispersed before gathering together once again.

"I think he means you should all help her," Hiro explained.

A chill ran up the immortal's spine as he sensed the mysterious observer and his companion cross the security wards on his property. But they weren't alone. Someone else was with them as well.

"We all know that there's no way she'd be able to land a hit against him under normal circumstances," the youngest Saotome explained. "And the challenge is 'Anything Goes'…"

"He's got a point," Tenma ceded.

Ranma could barely suppress his grin as he ducked under an overhead punch before rolling under Asuna's guard. A quick kick knocked the fierce girl's feet out from under her causing her to fall to the ground.

"Do you think that's gonna be enough?" he taunted the youngsters.

"I doubt it," a familiar voice proclaimed.

Everyone turned to face the well dressed man as he stood casually in the dojo's entrance.

"Takahata-sensei?" Asuna gasped as she looked up at her former crush.

"You're all very talented," the scruffy teacher admitted, "but Saotome's on an entirely different level. When he was your age he was better than any one of you save perhaps Tenma, do you really think you'll be able to best him alone?"

Naru nodded. "I remember him telling me of how he'd face off against his three primary rivals all at the same time and how even combined they weren't able to do much against him."

The immortal master grinned, "I am the best."

With no further prompting needed, Tenma launched himself at his father. A swift fling round house failed to wipe the grin from the elder Saotome's face though it did force him back a step.

His focus now on Tenma and Asuna, Ranma could barely spare a moment to try and locate the unfamiliar presences that had accompanied Takahata. _'They're not teachers or any students that I've encountered.'_

Floating just outside of Tenma and Asuna's attack range the trio danced around the yard.

"Even Tenma and I can't get him to go all out," Hiro stated.

Ayaka, Makie, and Haruna shared a quick glance before coming to the same conclusion.

"I won't be left behind," the proud Ayaka muttered as she stood up, her eyes trying to spot an opening to take advantage of.

"This should be fun," Makie grinned.

Haruna nodded; a gleam of mischief in her eyes, "Yeah."

Pride swelled up in him as he watched his students (sans Hiro and Naru) working together. Asuna and Ayaka worked seamlessly together; years of fighting as rivals paying off as the pair adapted to the other's arsenal in their attempts to create an opening for Asuna to land a hit against their master. Though Haruna's natural talent matched their own, she lacked the years of training and sparring/fighting they did but made up for it with her keen mind and imagination as she adapted her tempo and strikes to try and trip up her uncle. Makie's clever ribbon snaked around him, preventing him from truly escaping the group and keeping him within range of the others.

"Don't let him lead you into a spiral!" a new voice shouted, alerting the youths to the subtle counter-attack that the master martial artist had been setting up.

Irked by the sudden interruption, Ranma grabbed the tall blonde's ankle before spinning and throwing the class rep into her former rival. Sparing a glance at mysterious strangers he relied on his highly developed reflexes to avoid Tenma's kick.

Two figures stood next to Takahata; one male, one female.

The younger and shorter of the two appeared to be no older than Tenma and had long, silky hair. His unusual two-toned hair framed his hardened face and the casualness of his stride suggested that he was an experienced fighter.

As striking as the boy was though it was his companion who caught Ranma's eye.

'_Akane?'_ he caught himself just before he could blurt out her name. Stars filled his vision, circling around the aged Akane Tendo as two fists connected with the back of his head. Without thinking he lashed out, striking his attackers with blows that neither could see nor keep track of. "Kiima."

"Hello Ranma," the transformed woman greeted. "It's nice to see you again."

"Your students are stupid," Saffron declared. "I can't believe you took on such morons, though from the look of it two of them are yours. I expected better of you..."

"I see his personality hasn't changed much," the immortal muttered.

"Oh, he's much better," Kiima assured him.

Mouth open for a snappy retort, Ranma couldn't find the right words to rebuke her. "Just barely."

"Um, you know them?" Naru asked her eyes locked on the new woman. Though it had happened once before, it wasn't every day that she encountered someone who resembled her lover's late fiancée.

"Ah, you've found yourself a lovely companion," the brash prince sneered. "Is the young brat hers?"

"No," Ranma and Naru replied in unison.

"What are you doing here?" the martial artist quickly added.

"Me?" the young prince smirked. "Why, I'm going to be a student at Mahora."

Dumbfounded, Ranma blinked, still unsure if perhaps the girls hadn't hit him harder than he'd expected.

"And since I'm going to be a student here, I figured I'd take care of some unfinished business."

* * *

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now. Yes, it's been a while since I updated, but I've had so much going on since the summer started. And now it's football season, which means fantasy football. At least I'll be sitting down in front of my computer more.

Dreamingfox


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Notes –

Yes, I'm alive, just been busy with a lot of other stuff. Trying to figure a few things out and but now I need to finish this current arch.

# # # # #

A gentle glow illuminated the otherwise dark corridor, a subtle hint of the plant's true power. Hidden deep underground at the very center of the city and campuses, only a select few knew of the truth behind the wondrous World Tree.

Power, immense magical power – that was what the world tree hid.

Power that she could, no, would use once the time was right.

Without knowing it a smile formed on her young face as she imagined a better future.

"'_It won't work'." _

The words, his words, rang in her mind, shattering the vision. He'd spoken those words to her long ago, in hopes of dissuading her from pursing the course she was going to be taking.

Touching the glowing root, she felt the immense power collecting inside of the World Tree. How could her plan fail? The tree held so much power and it hadn't even reached its peak yet. A year, maybe less, and she could harness its power. A year for her army to –

A chill ran through her spine as she sensed another source of power flare up.

"Zero," she cried out.

The gentle glow of the magic infused roots gave way to the blue, red and green lights of the gigantic computer as it sprang to life, illuminating dozens of naked, pale skinned figures and their various eccentric shades of hair.

'_Who could that be? Who's that powerful right now? Konoka will be one day, but she hasn't even begun to dabble in magic yet,' _she thought as she tried to gage the flare. _ 'Even if Negi was here he's won't even be close to that level when he faces Evangeline, the Dean would never expose himself like this, and Evangeline's still locked - Who else has access to that kind of power?'_

"Locate the source of magical disturbance," Chao ordered as she left the World Tree's root in favor of the supercomputer.

"Unable to comply," the gigantic machine stated. "Magical interference prevents me from locating the source."

Chao grit her teeth. There were only seven locations on campus that were protected with such high level magic, three of them under her control which left only the faculty/administration building, Evangeline's cabin, Library Island, and Saotome's property. _'Saotome? No, he's now where that powerful… so who?'_

X X X X X

Raw, unbridled power filled the air around him as intense heat threatened to ignite the very ground that he stood on.

As sudden as the outburst began, it had stopped as the young man with two-toned hair slumped forward onto one knee.

"Un- unfinished business," Saffron muttered as he gazed up at Ranma with pleading eyes.

Unsure what to make of everything Ranma stole a glance at Kiima. A forced smile graced her full lips, reminding him oh so much of the girl who had been drowned in that particular pool and forcing him to look away.

"Why don't we give Ranma some time with his old acquaintances?" Takahata insisted as he moved towards his former lover.

He could see the reluctance on Naru and Haruna's faces as well as the questioning looks that the rest of his students shot him. Still, he'd made a promise to Dean Konoe and the faculty not to reveal the existence of magic.

"No, they've reached the point where they're entitled to know," Ranma countered.

"It's too soon," the older man pointed out.

Ranma shook his head, "It's unavoidable – they've already been exposed to it. I doubt sending them off now would do anything but quell their curiosity for a few moments more."

"You mean to say that your students don't know about magic?" Saffron smirked in a display reminiscent of his previous incarnation.

"And the cat's out of the bag," Haruna threw her hands up dramatically.

The other girls turned to look at their classmate.

"Magic?" Makie squeaked.

"That was magic?" Asuna muttered.

"Magic?" Ayaka repeated. "But…"

"Saotome," though his tone was level, just the use of his family name rather than his given name told everyone present how serious the older man was about the situation, "you promised"

"I didn't tell them," Ranma pointed out curtly. "He did, and you brought him here."

"He's got a point," Naru seconded.

"Yeah," Luke chimed.

"Anyways," Ranma said, silencing the others, "now that you know none of you are allowed to tell anyone about it. You're not allowed to even talk about it outside of here. That means no talking about it while walking to class, or at the dorms, or even when you're out in the plaza. Everything stays here."

"Magic?" Ayaka muttered absently. "It can't really exist."

"Wait," Asuna interjected as she eyed Haruna and Naru, "you both knew about magic?"

"Well, he is my uncle," the younger Saotome shrugged.

Naru simply nodded.

"Can you really use magic?" Ayaka asked as she slowly began to accept the possibility of magic existing.

The older woman shook her head, "I never bothered to try learning, but I doubt that I could."

"Uncle's teaching me," Haruna grinned. "It's awesome!"

"Haruna, why don't you take the girls to the baths and show them some of the things you're allowed to do," Ranma ordered. "Naru, would you go with them to make sure that she doesn't get out of hand?"

Though she hated being dismissed, Naru knew that she wouldn't be able to win this argument. "Fine."

"Tenma, take Hiro and Luke to clean out the library next to Negi's room." With everyone now dismissed, Ranma patiently watched as the girls from 2-A hounded their classmate and teacher with their questions about magic, leaving the Saotome men with their guests.

"Tell me," the immortal finally said once he was sure that the others were out of ear-shot, "what happened after I left all those years ago?"

"I did as you requested," the aged retainer stated. "I did my best to raise him to be more respectful and considerate of others, but then we went to war with the Amazons."

Try as he might, Ranma couldn't help but clinch his teeth at the reminder of those days. Things in Nerima had gone to hell after Cologne's treachery, how much worse had things been for the Amazons, Musk, and Phoenix as well as the others that called Jusenkyo home? He'd been told of the war and the eventual outcome, but never of the long term effects of all the fighting.

"The water"

"Has been diverted," Kiima finished.

Ranma nodded, "The breaking point."

Kiima nodded grimly. "The Amazons used every trick they could muster against us in hopes of breaking our spirits. They destroyed the Pools of Sorrows and our springs."

"Without the water there is no way for me to regulate my growth and transformations," a slight grimace on the phoenix's face.

"And until you grow up you can't properly use your powers," concluded Ranma.

The young phoenix nodded; his face once again neutral and impassive. "I've come here for your assistance."

The immortal knew how hard it was for Saffron to ask for help. Though he was far less arrogant and presumptuous in this life than in his previous life, it was hard for the reborn youth to admit that he needed any help, especially when asking the person who had not only defeated but killed him.

"The old man has allowed the Prince to attend school here," said Kiima. "As regent I have to return to oversee the day to day affairs of our people."

This time it was Ranma's turn to nod in acknowledgement. "And since I'm the only one you know here you'll be staying with me, right?"

"Exactly." A slight smirk on Takahata's face suggested that he was grateful that Ranma was at least inconvenienced by the phoenix king's presence.

"Of course," he muttered. "But since you're going to be staying here, I need to make sure that you're not going to torch the place, even on accident."

"Already taken care of," reaching into his pocket Saffron produced a small black box. "The Headmaster gave these to me," the phoenix explained as he opened the jewelry case to reveal a sparkling ruby studded earring. "I'm already wearing one," the boy stated as he brushed back his long bangs to reveal its mate.

'_Damn the old man,'_ lamented Ranma. "Fine," he relented, "I'll show you where you can stay for now."

X X X X X

The thick, humid air hung heavily in Saotome's Grill. Though the exclusive restaurant served only select clients business was always slow in summer as their clients opted for the mountains rather than the beaches, leaving the Grill essentially vacant.

Yet despite the fact that most of their usual customers were off training, Konatsu Saotome knew that there were many eyes on him and his temporary staff.

"That's enough for today Kaede," he said in his pleasant, even tone.

"Are you sure de gozaru?" the ever polite girl asked even as she snatched up another pitcher of water. "Sessha has nothing else to do today."

"It's alright. It looks like it's going to storm and I wouldn't want you. If you could," he added as the three girls finished clearing their tables, "please bring this by to my brother; I believe that he's back from the training trip and since he hasn't stopped by yet I'm sure your classmates are keeping him busy."

"Sessha will do as you request." Taking the large okonomiyaki she offered him a polite bow. "Shall Sessha bring something for your daughter?"

"Of course," he replied. "Ukyo should have it and a treat for you and the twins."

As much as he hated to admit it, the girl was far cleverer than she let on. Even with her eyes seemingly closed the perceptive self-trained kunoichi played at being polite and considerate when in fact she was observing him. His suggestions of teaching her the shadow arts had been casually brushed aside, yet here she was assisting him while her other classmates were off training.

"Here you go," an energetic Ukyo proclaimed as she handed the young kunoichi two bags full of food. "These are for you, and those are for Haruna and the others."

With the girl's departure the Grill was empty save for the owners. Watching as Kaede exited through the hidden servant exit Konatsu lingered at the window as Ukyo began to lock up. "Sometimes I hate being a ninja."

X X X X X

Eerie silence filled the onsen as Haruna faced her classmates. As the niece to their master and teacher she knew that she'd have to answer their questions despite her own limited knowledge of the magical world.

"As you're all aware, magic exists," she finally broke the unnatural calm. "You all know that I read the Harry Potter books, well, it's kinda like that in a sense. Just like martial arts there are different styles and schools of magic, as well as different applications for each."

"Can you ride a broomstick?" Makie interjected.

"No." She'd been expecting that one. "I have heard of them, and magic carpets, but I've never resorted to using them myself."

"Can you fly?" the perky gymnast asked.

"No. And would you stop interrupting me," she ordered. Standing tall she composed herself as she glared at the inquisitive. "Anyways, Uncle's always said that I can't talk to anyone about it."

"But he already told us that we can't speak to anyone else about it," Ayaka interrupted.

"That's only part of it." Sighing she glanced at the busty blond. "Just like in Harry Potter, magi tend to hide the fact that magic exists from non-magical users. Unlike in Harry Potter, there is no Ministry of Magic that oversees us; and it usually falls on the more powerful and influential users to reign in the others."

"Takahata-sensei's a mage!" A clearly startled Asuna could only look at the floor as the realization hit her.

"The school… Mahora's a school for magi?" the clever blond remarked as she made the next logical connection.

"No," Haruna assured them. "There are normal people at the school, but ever since Uncle started teaching me I have noticed a few unusual people."

"Unusual," Naru repeated.

Though the girls in 2-A often brushed off Haruna's wild imagination, they couldn't help but take her seriously now.

"Like Evangeline and Chachamaru," she pointed out. "We've been in class with them for almost two years and both of them look the same now as they did when we started junior high together. Just look at last year's pictures and the ones from this year. Plus, they live together at the edge of campus."

"That's enough of that," Naru interjected, reminding them that she was here to watch over them.

"Do you know if there are magi around?" Ayaka challenged the buxom woman.

"I do," their sensei replied. "But it's not my place to say who is or isn't. Just like it's not your place to speculate about who might be just because they're different or unusual."

Soundly reprimanded, the girls all stared at the steamy water before them.

"There are some mage around," Naru stated. "I don't know for sure who is or isn't a mage, but those I know don't want me sharing their secrets."

"But why?" Haruna asked, her own sense of curiosity surfacing.

"People, non-magical people, tend to forget that there are limitations to what can and can't be done. It's like Harry Potter, the Muggles and even Harry who is a wizard, think that anything can be done with magic, but there are limits, not just based on the abilities of the mage, but on what can be accomplished with magic as well.

"It's like placing someone on a pedestal; we think that they, magi, can do anything, but when they can't do something we want them to we blame them for not wanting to do it instead. When they don't do what we want them to do for us we start to resent them for not doing it.

"And then there are those like the Dursleys who just think that anyone not like them are freaks. They don't understand that the magi have their own cultures and beliefs."

"That's what Uncle said." The young Saotome added, strengthening their sensei's position. "He's met magi from across the world."

"So why can't we at least try to figure out who else are magi?" Makie asked.

"Because there are so many different groups," Haruna explained. "Some groups are bigger or more powerful than others, and they often try to keep the others inline and from exposing the existence of magic to the general public. Because there are so many groups they're constantly vying for control and some have old grudges. If we start investigating potential magi, we might stumble across one, and they might not be happy with it."

"Not all magi are good," the older woman's statement adding weight to Haruna's explanation. "Though he doesn't like to talk about it, I know Ranma's had to…" she paused as she tried to find the right words, "deal with rogue magi. Takahata's had to deal with some as well."

The air about the onsen became heavy as the girls began to understand how truly dangerous the world of magic could be.

"What he's show you thus far is only a bit of the good side of the magical world," Naru stated somberly. "There's much more to that world than what I can tell you and what Ranma's willing to tell you right now. Just be patient, and don't rush into anything."

X X X X X

"Shichimi Togarashi," Luke stated, sniffing the air. "Hand mixed from red chili pepper, orange peel, black, white and toasted sesame seeds, cayenne, hemp seed, ginger, and nori, but no Szechuan pepper."

Ranma stole a glance out the window at the pale, full moon in the afternoon sky. Though it was hours away he knew that the tall blonde's sense of smell was far better than even his own. The scent wafted through the open window, making it nearly impossible for him to get a good sense of the exact location of the source.

"You always think with your stomach," a slightly annoyed Tenma muttered as the handed the newest resident of the Saotome household a box.

"It smells like Ukyo-sensei's sauce, but she doesn't use Shichimi Togarashi," the blond grumbled.

Warning sirens blared in Ranma's mind as he made the connection. "Tenma, you and Luke take the girls back to the dorms once they're out of the baths, then take Luke to the library. I know you two need to do some studying before the exams tomorrow."

"I should go with them," Saffron suggested, ignorant of the code that the Saotome's were using.

"It's about to rain," Hiro interjected.

"Maybe I'll take the time to enjoy your onsen instead."

"Hiro, go over the rules of the household with him," Ranma ordered. "Make sure you introduce him to Negi."

Excusing himself, Ranma made his way towards the dojo's wide doors. Taking a deep breath of the gentle breeze he closed his eyes as he mentally placed the source. Even if someone were to pass by the property with several dishes loaded with the unusual combination of spices the scent shouldn't have reached the house so easily.

Even the steadily growing gusts of wind did little to dilute the spice, then again, the spell he'd taught Konatsu was intended to deliver the scent to the property regardless of the weather and the wind. But it was the spice itself that had Ranma on edge.

Orange peel meant that whatever was coming should be kept away from Mahora. Red chili pepper to signify a significant threat, white sesame meant that it was directed towards a student, black for an immediate threat, the cayenne meant that it was martial arts related, and the hemp that is related specifically to ninjas. The nori told him it was political in nature. The lack of Szechuan told him that he needed to keep magic out of this.

This he'd have to deal with himself. While Tenma could have assisted him, the cyborg would be busy dealing with the werewolf's transformation despite the fact that Luke was starting to get a better hold of his transformations. Still, the blond boy would be at the mercy of the moon until he reached adulthood. Then again, having Luke involved in things could prove more troublesome than beneficial. Even though he was an orphan who belonged to no native clans, they couldn't risk having the werewolves (and possibly the magical world) and ninja going to war over. Ninjas and martial artists, magical associations/sects and creatures, demons; all of them preferred to keep their business in house.

X X X X X

The light rustling of the leaves accompanied buxom kunoichi as she made her way back from _Saotome's Grill_. Many times she'd taken this exact, isolated path back to Mahora after a late shift at the restaurant. The hidden mountain pathway took far longer than taking the train back to Mahora, but it was far more enjoyable and challenging as well as being the straighter path. Rocky, uneven terrain combined with tall, strong trees with thick, sturdy branches challenged her balance and dexterity as she made her way up and around the mountainside.

On any other day she might have enjoyed the serine silence that nature provided her, but today, today the silence was unnerving. Gone was the playful but scolding chatter of the squirrels, the barking of the wild dogs, and the howling of the local wolves. Something was amiss.

But it wasn't just the forest it'd been the town as well. The brief trip through town had been equally silent and devoid of any sign of life, almost as if everyone was hiding.

Spotting a familiar circle of boulders, the young kunoichi paused. _'Forty minutes,'_ she assessed as she moved past the marker. _'I'm almost halfway to Mahora now so how long are they going to wait?'_

Landing on a stout branch, she heard the soft twang of several lines being pulled taunt. "Shit!"

A weighted net ascended from the ground.

"Got her!"

"Quiet you fool! You've made us expose our positions to her!"

"But we got her!"

"Substitution technique."

"Oh…"

A barrage of throwing stars pierced the leafy canopy, forcing her to leap out of the way and out of hiding. "There!"

Pulling out a kunai Kaede eyed the distance between herself and her attackers.

"Got her!" the younger and greener of the two proclaimed as he leapt out of the brush. A katana in one hand and the scabbard in the other he rushed her. His dark green silky garb helped him blend into the forest, but out in the open as he was he was easy to spot. A tentative diagonal slash with the katana followed by a right trust with the scabbard forced her back a step as the other ninja unloaded with another barrage of stars.

A quick, stiff kick to the masked assailant's face sent him flying in the direction of his partner even as he leapt out of the way. A flurry of well thrown shuriken forced her to dodge. The sound of the sharp metal projectiles sinking into the thick trunks behind her was accompanied by that of rustling leaves and branches as another net fell into place behind her.

"There's nowhere for you to go child," the older ninja stated. "But if you're going to play games…"

A third and forth assailant appeared, one to each side of her.

"Shadow clones?" she guessed. "Two, is that all?"

The one on he left rushed in with a straight right that connected with her palm. Braced for the impact she caught his fist with her right before capturing his elbow with her left. A twist of her hips sent him flying over her head before she parried the other clone's punch. Fighting three to one though she was outmatched as the original grabbed her hair and pulled hard, slamming her head into a tree trunk.

"Shadow clone," the original muttered as Kaede's clone dispersed. "Too bad I know where the original is."

Kaede rolled out of the brush, barely avoiding the barrage of shrunken thrown by two other masked ninja. "Four?"

A stiff kick to the face sent her flying into one of the many tree trunks only for a log to crash into the tree.

"You can't get away," he repeated.

A left cross chased her out of her hiding spot. Spinning around she connected with a spinning roundhouse to the stomach causing yet another clone to disperse. Rushing ahead she threw a right punch, hitting another ninja squarely in the stomach and doubling him over. A left uppercut sent him flying into the path of yet another attacker.

Outnumbered, she was forced to leap to the side to avoid an armed assailant as he slashed at her with his katana. Rolling to her feet she swept her attacker's feet out from under him, dispersing the clone as it hit the ground but creating an opening for another clone to connect with a left uppercut-right cross combination that staggered her. Suddenly she felt his weight on her ample bosom as he planted his feet in her chest before following up with a kick to her face.

Going with the blow she flipped in the air, desperately trying to catch her breath and re-assess her situation. Before she even landed she sensed rather than felt someone slip behind her as he wrapped his arm around her throat. Standing taller than her attacker, her feet touched the uneven ground before his, allowing her to kick off of the ground as she grasped his arm. Rather than launching herself into the air she bent at the waist, throwing him over her head and into the ground. Spinning around, she dragged him around, preventing the others from closing with her and forcing them to attack from a distance. A barrage of shuriken answered her challenge as she threw her masked attacker into the air for cover. She'd expected the body to disperse like the other shadow clones, but the sickening sound of the sharp edged projectiles sinking into soft flesh and the resulting splatter caught her off guard.

She froze for a second, allowing one of her many attackers to charge in and take advantage of her situation landing a left punch to her kidney. Reflexively she lashed out with an elbow, connecting with a sickening crunch as she broke her attacker's nose.

Pain lanced up her side as another ninja slipped past her guard, connecting with a stiff front kick that sent her sprawling into the bush.

"Wow," a new voice interrupted, saving her from the beating that had seemed imminent. "I knew you guys sucked, but really, ten to one?"

"Stay out of this stranger," the lead ninja countered.

"Sorry, can't," the newcomer insisted. For a moment the remaining ninja eyed the strange man in the red and black garb. "I know, ninja policy states that you have to kill me if I make a fuss, but technically you're in the wrong here since you're on my property and while I'm not a ninja I know the ten of you aren't good enough to take me on and win."

"Kill him!"

"That was quick." In a flash thee dark green blurs were sent flying through the small clearing, each crashing hard against a tree trunk. "And now you're down to six."

The remaining ninja slowly receded into the brush, hoping to hide themselves in the shadows.

"Ten ninjas," the mystery man stated. "That's what, two hit squads, right?"

Kaede froze as she realized the severity of her situation.

"Myrtle," he added. "That means you're Ketsueki Clan, but they're wearing Mantis, which means they're from Sanada. Odd that two clans each send a hit squad after someone, really strange that you're working together on this hit, especially since the Ketsueki and Sanada don't like each other.

"Hit squad… that means three chunin and a jonin… all that to take care of one girl…"

"You know a lot about ninja stranger," the lead Ketsueki ninja stated.

"Idiot," the lead Sanada ninja muttered. "That's Ranma Saotome, his adopted brother is Konatsu."

Kaede's eyes locked on her savior. "Saotome-sensei?"

"Saotome, this is none of your business," the Sanada ninja stated.

"It is if you're going after her on my land," the distinguished martial artist stated. "The girl's under my protection."

"So long as she's on your land," the Ketsueki amended.

"I speak for the Urashimas," Ranma added. "She's safe on their lands as well."

"Stay out of our business," Sanada growled. "I'm sure you'd add Mahora too, but she won't make it that far."

"If you're all that they sent then I'm sure she will."

"If you kill any of us"

"I'll start a blood feud," Ranma finished.

"As good as you are you're not good enough to keep us from killing her."

"We'll see about that."

X X X X X

A/N

I think I'll leave things here for now.

What do you think? Please review.

Dreamingfox


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Notes –

There's a lot going on so I hope you're all patient and willing to wait for more updates.

X X X X X

Light fog hung in the night air making the trek up the mountainside all the more difficult and treacherous for the two martial artists. A decade of near intimate knowledge of the mountain's multitude of paths had been erased by only a few years as nature had reclaimed much of what had once been his home. Rock slides and erosion had wiped away several paths he'd once used while wind and lightning had knocked over or struck down some of the large trees that had once served as landmarks or make shift shelters from the elements.

"Where are we going?"

It didn't surprise him that the normally cheerful and calm girl was shaken. To his knowledge she'd never been put into a life or death situation like the one she'd just endured. As dedicated as she was to her art, kids these days just didn't endure as much hardship when training in the martial arts. Ranma knew for a fact that there weren't as many bears in these mountains, though the population of wolves had grown, they wouldn't attack humans. One would have to travel several days before coming across a feral boar, and even those weren't as fierce or large as those found a decade ago.

"That's the first time anyone's ever come after you with the intent to kill, right?" he asked, ignoring her question.

The usually bouncy and energetic girl tensed the muscles around her mouth tightening as she clinched her teeth before nodding.

"You've been playing ninja for a while, but those were real ninja." The harsh truth he delivered was just as hard as any slap to the face. "Shinobi are cold blooded killers. If you want to be a kunoichi you're going to have to accept that."

"Sessha knows that," she replied sharply. Once again the girl had donned her ninja persona.

"This isn't a game – people die; violently." His words struck home, rattling her resolve and penetrating her mask. "Is this what you really want?"

This time Kaede took a moment to think about her response, carefully considering her options before responding, "Yes."

Still skeptical, he looked into her eyes. Words could be deceiving, but the eyes never lied. Her deep brown eyes waivered, but didn't falter even as his piercing blue eyes gazed into her soul. "Fine."

Faster than she expected, he took a step past her guard. Lightning quick hands slipped beneath her pants, extracting a kunai each before sending them into the night. The sound of blunt metal hitting hardened bone.

"We were followed?" As skilled as she'd thought she was, the aspiring kunoichi had failed to notice their pursuer.

Ranma quickly gathered the unconscious ninja. "Ketsueki."

"How can you tell?"

"Ketsueki always brand their katana," he explained. Removing the sheathed weapon he tossed it to the girl. "See the dark green diamonds on the hilt? Only Ketsueki use green on their hilts. The number of diamonds indicates the number of confirmed kills he's had with just his sword."

Several well placed needles insured that the ninja wouldn't be able to move even upon waking. Carrying the masked man, Ranma once again took the lead. "Pressure points."

"Why? What are you going to do to him?"

"I'm not, you are."

A shiver ran up her spine.

"I'm not a ninja, and I can't afford to have a blood feud with any ninja clan, but you're a ninja, right?" The implication made her pause. "I'll tell you what to do."

"Why?"

"Do you know why they're after you?"

For a moment she stood there, going over the facts she knew once again. "Because Sessha refused Master Konatsu's offer?"

"That's part of it, but there's obviously more to it, and you're going to find out why." As much as he hated to, he knew that they'd have to do this quickly which meant that they'd have to do it at his former residence.

"What are you doing, de gozaru?"

"It's going to get loud," he replied as he drew a glyph. "Like I said, this is my mountain. I used to live here, so I know how sound carries."

"Magic?"

"Ninjutsu," he lied. "This one creates a barrier that will keep sound from escaping and also serves to warn us about any possible intruders. Wind jutsu." Well, it was a half-truth actually. Ninja did have their own magic they just called it ninjutsu and genjutsu depending on the type. In ninja terms he was a wind jutsu user and genjutsu master.

"How much do you know about ninja, de gozaru?"

"Not enough." With the wards in place, Ranma made his way towards the tiny cabin he once called home. "There's rope over there" he pointed towards the storage shed. "We've only got an hour at before they notice that he's missing. If we're lucky they'll think that we're going to go straight to Mahora."

"Why would they think that, de gozaru?"

"Because that's the safest place for you to be," he explained. "As much as they respect me and Konatsu, they won't move against you while you're here, but once we're off my land you're fair game. They'll have all paths between this mountain and Mahora under observation, and they won't hesitate to kill you in public, though they'd prefer to do it away from prying eyes. If they were willing to send two hit squads after you that means that they're willing to take care of any civilians that might get in the way."

He could feel his stomach turning as he propped the ninja up. He didn't want to force the young girl to do this, but there were no other alternatives. Besides, she wanted to become a ninja. This was the path she'd chosen for herself.

X X X X X

Though she longed to return to her futon and the familiar embrace of her lover, but something had called out to her. The gentle thud of her soft footsteps on the hardwood floors were drowned out by the pounding rain outside, hiding her passage. Only the occasional flash of lightning broke the darkness, casting long shadows and adding a sense of foreboding to the air.

Finally the young woman found herself standing outside of the familiar confines of the Hinata Sou. Though she'd spent much of the past five years as a resident, Mutsumi Otohime knew that few ever approached the Annex, much less entered it.

"That's far enough," a distinctly male voice proclaimed.

Lightning flashed in the distance, casting just enough light on the man's face for the voluptuous brunette to make out his features. "You…."

"It's been over twenty years."

"You haven't changed at all." Outwardly his posture and appearance hadn't changed aside from the clothes that he wore. Wearing a western suit, he looked the part of a distinguished businessman.

"But you've grown up," he replied. "Not surprising for a human really. Still, you've grown up to be a real beauty Mutsumi Otohime."

Ignoring his complement, she glanced at the ground. "It's time then?"

"Yes."

Taking a deep breath, she watched as the demon removed his hat. "So be it."

"I'm not here for you Otohime," the contract demon stated. "You've paid handsomely for your friend's health and well being."

Mutsumi blinked as she took in his words. "But, the contract… and the payment?"

"Was for your health and powers, not your soul," he corrected. "You've bought your friend time, over twenty years. That may not be much time for one such as me, but for a human like you, that's a lot of time."

"But, but she, he…" she floundered, unable to find the right words.

"She made her choice, as did you, as did he. "The deal you made was only for her health, in hopes of her future happiness, not a guarantee of happiness. We never guarantee happiness. Besides, who is to say that she hasn't found happiness for herself? It is the path she chose for herself after all."

X X X X X

The weather provided the kunoichi with the perfect cover as she moved undetected in the night. Heavy rain drops pelted the waterlogged ground masking the sound of her approach. Flashes of lightning shed just enough light to disrupt the vision of any who might be on guard while the darkness hid her presence.

But the rain did more than just mask her presence and soak her clothes through. The cold that her body felt matched the cold, frozen feeling she felt in her soul. For so long she'd believed in the romanticized image of ninjas popularized by manga and anime like Naruto and Ninja Scroll, but the hard reality that she'd recently been exposed to had washed away those notions just as the rain washed away her tracks.

Gone were the romanticized image of the 'noble ninja' popularized in Japanese culture by mediums such as anime and manga. Yes, they were masters of their art, but their art was focused on killing. Subterfuge and misdirection were their primary tools.

Silence had been her lone companion since she'd left Ranma Saotome's mountain retreat as Saotome-sensei had given her a goal to accomplish while heading out on his own (with the unconscious body of the chunin ninja she'd tortured). As hard and trying as torturing someone had been her night had only just begun at that point.

A change of clothes, the taxi ride out to nowhere, another change of clothes, and a now a run up yet another forested, mysterious and isolated mountainside brought her here. The nondescript looking hut was no different from the one she'd sought shelter in at the beginning of the night yet it set her nerves on edge just to look at it. This was the Sanada outpost. Now all she had to do was wait for Ranma to arrive.

X X X X X

The silence of the virtually empty dojo made the occasional thunderous boom even was deafening to the lone woman as she knelt on the hard wood floor. Every ounce fiber of muscle in her body cried out for motion, for action, yet she maintained her position on the floor despite her restlessness.

'_What's wrong with me?'_ she asked herself as she fought to control the sense of unease that threatened to overwhelm her. _'There's no one here, but why do I want to desperately hit someone?'_

She could feel her hands trembling as she pressed them to her knees.

'_I just need to do some katas,'_ she thought to herself, resolving to work her body hard.

Springing to her feet, she mentally measured the distance between her feet, purposefully shifting her weight so that she was perfectly balanced. The cool evening air rushed into her lungs but did little to calm her nerves even as she executed a perfect high kick.

X X X X X

The purple glow of the stormy sky provided more than sufficient light for the isolated ninja outpost. Fortunately for the master martial artist the pounding rain provided adequate cover. Leaves shook with each raindrop that fell on them, branches burdened with heavy water swayed in the wind, all creating slight twitches of motion that hid his subtle movements as he circled their base.

Finding the outpost hasn't been hard. Though the ninja clans took special measures to hide the locations of their various bases, it wasn't hard for some of the other clans to locate or at least speculate as to the locations of the other clans' bases. Some even knew that some bases were compromised, but the continued use of the base meant that perhaps those bases were used to mislead those who knew of them. Secrets piled on top of secrets…

Still, having Kaede run the gauntlet was necessary. Though they had captured the other ninja, it was necessary for Kaede to capture another just to compare what the two ninja knew. Secrets were meant to be kept, and for ninja it often meant that sometimes they were lied to by their superiors as well as each other. Still, for two clans to be working together it meant that someone had shared information between the two clans and to the teams that had been sent after Kaede. Hopefully someone at this base knew the truth, or at least a shred of information that could lead them to finding out why a hit had been ordered on the young kunoichi.

It was on his second pass that he'd spotted the self-trained ninja. He couldn't help but concede that she was pretty good, for being self-trained. But she was a far cry from Konatsu. True, she'd shown considerable promise, but Konatsu was a master of subterfuge, forcing Ranma to a draw because he'd made the mistake of underestimating the cross-dressing ninja. Still, as a fighter she was decent, but her personal style was not suited for a ninja. Her ability to sneak and hide herself though was superb as even he had managed to overlook her the first time around. Unfortunately her ability to spot someone else could use some work as he'd managed to slip past her twice without really trying. That put her roughly at genin level.

"Long night?" he teased, announcing his presence to her.

Though startled Kaede didn't flinch, "So far, but sessha has had longer nights."

"The hut is the goal, but there are three sentries hidden around the bluff. There are also several traps that I can't disarm, and several more that I can't get to without exposing myself. That means that there are at least a dozen or more that I haven't seen."

The young kunoichi nodded.

"Once we make it into the hut, there will probably be a hidden passageway leading to the real base."

"Probably?"

"They're ninja," he shrugged. "It's not like I've come here before."

"But you have had experience with sneaking into their bases, de gozaru?"

"Something like that."

"Take out the guards, avoid the traps, and then take out the last guardsman – not too hard, de gozaru."

Ranma shook his head. "Avoid the guards, then slip in during the guard change, and follow the old head guardsman back into the ninja lair."

Kaede froze, unsure what she could say about the impossible task given to her.

"It's even worse than that," a new voice added. "The guards don't change at the same time. Not to mention that they're going to be looking for someone to try and sneak past them. They've probably got thermal imagers and infrared cameras along with more conventional security cameras, and any disruption to their power-grid is going to make them deploy more guards both inside and out.

"I suppose you thought you'd be able to slip in, find a jonin, subdue him, and sneak him outside without getting caught?"

"Not really," Ranma replied as he lashed out with a lightning quick kick to the Sanada ninja's stomach, instantly dispelling the complicated illusion that he'd employed. "It's easier to lure one of you guys out here."

The Sanada jonin had failed to see through the illusionary Ranma, allowing the real Ranma to connect with the stunning blow. The stiff kick doubled the man over but kept him from moving as the force of the kick was spread throughout his body rather than sending him flying.

Kaede launched herself at the closest of the chunin, sweeping the ninja off his feet and toppling him into the chunin kunoichi.

With both hands free, Ranma instantly drew two glyphs, aiming them at the remaining pair of chunin. The air around the two ninja instantly froze the water that had accumulated on them as they watched the Ketsueki and subsequently Kaede. Though the ice was not thick enough to incapacitate them, the sudden chill combined with the rigidness of their clothing allowed Kaede the time needed to deliver a knockout blow to each of them.

"Sessha was used as bait," the kunoichi observed, a slight hint of bitterness in her voice.

"First lesson about ninja – it's about misleading and confusing your enemies, and sometimes that means your allies as well. Besides, I thought you'd pick up on it when I told you our goal was the hut then said that it's only going to lead us into their inner sanctum."

X X X X X

If there was one thing that Ranma Saotome hated about ninja the most, it had to be their stupid politics. Of the multitude of clans that still existed, none viewed the "outside world" the same. Hell, most didn't view the other clans the same. Like in everything else there were the long standing rivalries and feuds, as well as the traditional allies and new allies.

Like any martial artist in the know, Ranma knew that the end of the samurai era hadn't spelled the end of the ninja; hell, it hadn't even ended the samurai. True, the samurai's status had been revoked, but some families still practiced bushido and even trained their children in the way of the samurai. Unlike the samurai though, the ninja had always operated in the shadows, and though their counterparts had officially been disbanded, the same could not be done to the ninja. Ninja worked from the shadows as such they were never officially recognized as the samurai had been. Even ordering the complete extermination of a clan didn't help as there were always some unknown sleeper cells.

"Sessha is from a ninja clan?" the astonished girl gasped as she looked down at the battered jonin.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ranma sighed. The masked ninja had spilled very easily, even without torture or truth serum. Still, Ranma wasn't sure if what the man was spouting was the truth or just what had been fed to him.

"Your parents are both Koga ninja," the jonin repeated.

"So how do you know about them?" the immortal prompted.

"Both the Sanada and Ketsueki were contacted to eliminate her. The Head of the Koga himself put out the contract."

"Why?"

The man's grin was evident even through the mask that covered his mouth. "Why?" a manic tone in his voice. Clearly he knew the truth and didn't see a point in keeping it hidden. "She flaunts her parents' independence from the Koga, she's a stain on their honor. They sought to flee from the Koga, and they would have gotten away with it until she came to your brother's restaurant."

In an unusual display of frustration Ranma cursed silently. "How did they know?"

"Background checks, paternity and DNA tests."

He could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on as he pondered the implications. To his knowledge Kaede had only left the campus to train or work at the Grill, leaving no obvious connection to her parents aside from her name.

Modernized ninja… it sounded like a B-movie plot that the Americans were filming. Then again, the Sanada were one of the smaller clans, perhaps they had adapted to the modern world more readily than the others.

'_This from the guy who swam to China.'_ The world was rapidly changing. Ranma couldn't deny that fact any more. "So ninja have started getting day jobs," he said aloud.

"Most of us have day jobs – your own brother runs a restaurant."

"Touché."

"We can't all run restaurants or inns," the nameless jonin spat out.

"What's your job then? Consultant to Sasuke?"

"Hn," the offended man scowled.

"Anyways, we've got what we needed," Ranma said as he moved to unmask the ninja.

"I may die, but the Sanada will avenge me!"

"You should have taken up Konatsu's offer," grumbled an annoyed Ranma.

For once the aspiring kunoichi was silent.

"They want you back in the fold, but since you've rebuffed them, the only way for them to save face is to kill you. None of the other clans are going to take you in because they don't want to risk going to war with the Koga."

X X X X X

Darkness greeted Negi as he woke abruptly. For the past week sleep had been elusive for the young mage as he'd prepared for the time lag or jet lag that had made the transition of living in England to now living in Japan all the more stressful. It helped that the youngest Saotome, Hiro, had helped him adjust by working the young teacher hard during their spars, though his aching muscles did not seem to enjoy the vigorous workouts Negi had to admit that physical exhaustion make it easier for him to sleep.

Unfortunately the jet lag couldn't be blamed for his loss of sleep. The true culprit more often than not was his sleepwalking which had led him through the unfamiliar house and usually right into a wall. It didn't help that the doors didn't swing open but slide open, impeding his efforts to move through the house in his sleep.

"Negi! Saffron!"

Hearing his name, Negi sat up before rolling out of bed. In a flash he had his glasses on and dashed out of his large room. Heavier footsteps joined his as the newest resident of the Saotome complex joined his. The sound of smooth wood rubbing against finished wood told him that the older and taller Saffron had reached the hallway first.

"It's Narusegawa!" the usually stoic Hiro explained even as Negi forced his door open.

Despite the difference in their strides Negi managed to catch up with Saffron as the martial artist reached the dojo.

On the floor lay the auburn trussed house mother and teacher. Her sweat laden gi clung to her body.

"What happened?" demanded the teen.

"I found her like this."

"She was still practicing when I went to bed," Saffron muttered as he moved to check her pulse. "She's burning up, her heart's beating as though pretty hard…"

The words slowly processed in the young mage's mind as the foreign dialect still took him time to process. "Let me," he finally said as he approached the unconscious Narusegawa. It was times like these that he was glad that the academy taught him basic healing and sensory spells. Hard work and dedication to his craft allowed him to cast the spell without any incantations or other obvious cues that would indicate the use of magic.

Reaching out he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling the unusual heat as he touched her sweaty brow. His eyes opened as the unseen magic in his hand dissipated upon touching her.

"Where's Ranma?" Saffron's gruff, commanding voice demanded.

"He was called away," replied Hiro in a calmer and more collected tone. "He left his cell phone. Tenma's with Luke."

With the others focused on locating the elder Saotomes, Negi conjured a light wind spell, letting it blow in from the open doors of the dojo to simulate a breeze. His hand still on Naru's brow he frowned as the spell failed to lower her temperature. "Call Takahata; he'll know what to do."

X X X X X

The gentle glow of the approaching dawn softened the dark horizon. Few were up at such an early hour, but for Konatsu Saotome, owner and proprietor of _Saotome's Grill_, it was a late hour. Summer was one of the busiest seasons for the Grill, and to keep up with business Konatsu knew that he needed to get an early start for the day. As it was the cross-dressing ninja had been up for over an hour before the sun had even thought of waking.

The gentle, artificial ringing from the phone broke up his usual morning ritual.

"That's probably Toshi," his wife proclaimed. "Tell him that we latest we can wait for his delivery is dawn – if he argues tell him that we're going to start placing our orders with Ono."

"Yes dear," the ever pleasant ninja replied as he picked up the phone.

"Moshi, moshi, _Saotome's_," he announced.

"Moshi, moshi," the caller returned. "Konatsu?"

"Yes," he replied, now thoroughly out of sorts by the call. Though the caller was male, Toshi and his subordinates never called him by his given name, only by his family name.

"It's Keitaro," the dorm manager announced, clarifying the situation slightly. "Sorry to call at such an hour, but is Ranma there?"

"No, why?"

"Hiro said that you'd called him out there."

"Ah, he's tending to some other business."

"Oh," the other man sighed. "If it's possible, could you let him know that I'm looking for him."

Before he could even respond the phone's dial tone signaled the end of the call as the former ronin hung up on his end.

"What excuse did Toshi give you this time?" Ukyo demanded as she looked at her husband's slumped shoulders. Unable to see his face she'd read his posture.

"It wasn't Toshi," the ninja returned, snapping to attention as he turned to his wife.

The electronic buzz prevented him from saying anything else as they were once again interrupted. "It's Toshi."

"I'll take care of it," Konatsu stated as he began to fall back into his morning routine.

The early morning deliveries demanded his attention. If they were short of one key ingredient like flour or cabbage then the other ingredients would be wasted. Portions needed to be taken into account, as well as the freshness and cost of some seasonal ingredients like squid, lobster, octopus and tuna before the final menu for the day could be compiled.

But Toshi was a reliable middleman. The man never failed to go to the fish market and his prices for the other ingredients were always reasonable.

"Morning Saotome-san," the every friendly businessman greeted as Konatsu opened the hidden cellar door.

The smell of fish on the man hinted at his morning in Tokyo's fish market. "Good morning Toshi-san."

"I got everything on your list and for a reasonable price too," the balding but fit man proclaimed with a smile.

It was business as usual for Konatsu as he looked over the various supplies before him. Though Ukyo had ordered only a few vital ingredients from Toshi, Konatsu knew that the transaction wouldn't end there. There were the special offers that Toshi occasionally picked up and hoped to sell to people like Konatsu who couldn't get to the fish market regularly.

In no time at all the transaction was completed and the door closed and secured. Despite his slim frame Konatsu was unbelievably strong, much like his adopted brother. The various coolers and boxes that were taken out of Toshi's truck were now waiting for him to put them into place in the large walk in refrigerator or in storage.

"You better not be in the cuttlefish," he stated as he eyed tapped the cooler. "I paid a pretty yen for all of that."

"It's only ice," Ranma announced as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Ah, father's sealed technique. What of Kaede?"

"She's in the potatoes."

"I can't harbor her here."

"I know," ceded Ranma. "But you can tell the Koga that she's willing to come back into the fold."

X X X X X

The sterile white light of the hospital seemed to cast Naru Narusegawa in a pallor. Even the rising sun in the horizon failed to brighten the room. Despite the early hour none of the other occupants of the room could sleep despite the tired and drawn expressions that they each had.

"Where is he?" the youngest of the quintet asked as she held her sister's hand. "He should be here."

The eldest of the group stood somberly in the corner, unwilling and unable to say anything. None in the room had known about his fling with the elder Narusegawa sibling. At first he'd thought it was just the fact that he'd projected his feelings for Asuna onto Naru, but over time he'd come to actually care deeply for her. He'd been on the verge of expressing his feelings to her and had put things off for the summer break, but then she'd abruptly broken things off.

Doubts about his feelings, and of her feelings for him had lingered in the months since their break up, though the façade he presented kept everyone from telling just how hurt he'd been over the termination of their secret relationship.

The sound of a firm hand on the doorknob drew everyone's attention to the door, each expecting just one man to appear despite their inability to contact him. The sight of the heavy set man in white though sent a chill down their spines.

"Doctor," Mei greeted as she looked up at the newcomer.

"Your parents weren't able to make it?" the man asked as he scanned the room.

The younger Narusegawa shook her head. "They're abroad right now."

"I see," the white clad man remarked idly.

"Whatever you have to say, you can tell them as well," Mei added. "They're the closest thing we have to family right now."

A warm glow passed through Takahata at her words. Being included in Naru's inner circle, even at a time like this, or perhaps because of it, meant more than he'd realized. Negi had only called because he didn't know anyone else on campus, and Hiro and Saffron had relented as neither had anyone else they could think of to help or to take control of the situation but Mei's choice to include him, well, it seemed much more personal.

Fortunately for him none of the others was paying him any attention as Naru's doctor closed the door behind him.

"It's not good," the man stated. "We ran a series of tests"

"What is it?" the usually cheerful and pleasant Mutsumi asked directly.

"It's cancer," the doctor replied. "Specifically a brain tumor, that's why she's in a coma."

For the first time in his life Takahata felt his knees buckle. The words hit him like a blow to the stomach, robbing him of his breath and strength. Still, he stood tall in the corner even as Mei and Mutsumi buried their faces and Keitaro fought to stay strong.

"Wh-what are our options?" the former ronin asked, his voice faltering as Mutsumi sobbed into his shoulder.

"It's too large for us to operate on, and far to advance for chemo," the doctor explained. The not so subtle pause would have been ignored by most, especially given the circumstances, but Takahata and Keitaro had. "I'm sorry."

X X X X X

The lazy golden glow of the late morning sun seemed to sap the last of Ranma's energy as he crossed the threshold of his property. The immortal had been forced to stay alert and on guard as a consequence of the actions he'd taken while protecting the young kunoichi. "Hate ninja…" he grumbled as he felt the strain on his consciousness. Though his body could regenerate without the needed rest, his mind still required the occasional break to slowly process everything. There had been the whole Saffron incident, not to mention his day long duel with Asuna. Either would have been more than enough for one day, but for them both to happen the way they did had made the day all the more tiring. And then there had been the stupid ninja incident.

Kaede's humble acceptance and enrollment into the Koga clan had been anti-climactic to say the least. Had it been up to him, he would have laughed off their attempts to reign him in, but Kaede was not him. Had she wanted he would have fought tooth and nail for her, as would Konatsu, but she hadn't wanted that. The proud self-taught kunoichi knew her limits, and wasn't willing to risk their lives selfishly.

In a way it was noble, but her actions told of how alone she truly was. In his youth he'd had his rivals that he'd been able to depend on, to a degree. Mousse and Ryoga had aided him in his fight against Herb, Lime, and Mint, though they also had their own best interests in mind as well. Unfortunately for Kaede there was no one she could depend on. She didn't have any comrades or rivals.

Lost in his rambling thoughts he barely noticed the silence that blanketed his home. The unimportant fact was pushed aside as his body moved automatically, opening the door, then walking towards the onsen. Only the flashing red button on the outdated answering machine caught his eye, demanding his attention. It took a moment for his mind to finally register that fact, instantly clearing away all other thoughts.

"Saotome!" the gruff Phoenix cried out urgently.

"What is it?"

"It's Narusegawa; she's in the hospital."

X X X X X

AN – I think I'll leave things here for now. If you follow my other fics you might notice that I've been updating them. Well, updating a few for the format changes. I'm slowly getting back into my writing groove, but with Fantasy Football nearing playoff time I've gotta focus on my teams and making then winning the playoffs. Oh, and the Packers are 9-0! Woo hoo!

Yes, Kaede's little bit was just a diversion for the real story of this arc.

Dreamingfox


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Notes –

It's the holiday crunch. Don't expect too much from me.

Please Read and Review.

* * *

The slow yet constant beeping of the various monitors droned in the back of Ranma Saotome's mind as he looked down on Naru Narusegawa as she lay in her hospital bed.

Mahora Health University Medical Hospital was unlike any other hospital in all of Japan. Though few outside of Mahora and the magical community thought much of the undersized hospital Ranma knew that some of Japan's greatest magical and medical minds had already looked over the model-turned teacher's case. As such it didn't surprise him when her doctor had called both Ranma and Takahata out of Naru's room for a secret consult.

"No," Ranma heard himself say. "You can say anything in front of them."

The balding medical mage eyed Keitaro and Mutsumi before looking at the scruffy blond. With a reluctant nod Takahata accented, deferring to Ranma's decision.

"Ms. Narusegawa has Stage III cancer," explained the doctor. "The tumor in her brain has spread to her upper spine." The man paused, waiting for the dreadful news to set in before continuing, "I've only seen cancer spread this quickly a few times. It's unnatural for it to appear so suddenly and spread so quickly. What had started as something the size of a needle's head has grown to roughly the size of a baseball in less than a day."

"It's been magically suppressed," Ranma concluded. Residual knowledge gleaned from his time at Dr. Tofu's clinic sprang to mind.

The doctor nodded, "Yes"

"But why now?" Takahata interjected. "The ambient magical energies in Mahora"

"Aren't sufficient to slow down something like this," the doctor interrupted.

Both Ranma and Takahata paused, their minds slowly processing the information.

"I did it," Mutsumi exclaimed. "I made a deal with a demon as a child. I gave up my power to suppress her illness."

All eyes now lay on the buxom brunette.

"That makes sense," the doctor said as he jotted down a note. "I'm surprised it didn't take your soul."

"He said I was too young to sell my soul," she explained. "I was too young to make a deal of that magnitude with him."

Beside her Keitaro clutched her hand, unsure what to say or do.

"It's your fault," she added, her brown eyes locked on Ranma's blue even as tears streaming down her cheek. "If Naru could fall in love with Keitaro and the two of them went to Todai together then she wouldn't get sick again. But she didn't. Oh, they both went to Todai, but not together."

"If you knew…" Ranma muttered, his throat suddenly knotting up and going dry at once.

"He blocked my memories. He said that it was noble of me to give up on my own happiness, but he didn't want me to bias them."

"You bought her time," Takahata interrupted.

"Naru chose who she wanted to be with," Keitaro added. "Just like I chose who I wanted to be with."

Untold emotions swirled within each of them as no one dared to look anywhere but the ground at their feet except for the doctor.

"What are our options?" the dorm manager finally asked as he pried his eyes from the floor.

"Traditional treatments won't work," explained the doctor. "Her cancer's far too advance and spreading much too quickly. Alternative methods won't work as well. I know of now magi who's strong enough to even suppress Ms. Narusegawa's cancer, much less eliminate it outright, and I'm doubtful that they'd be willing to sacrifice their power for someone they don't know."

"So our best options are to find a more powerful demon and give up our soul or find a genie!" Keitaro scoffed.

"We don't advise such treatment," the doctor remarked. "But if you do go that route, I'd say you have less than 24 hours."

"Can you at least wake her up?" pleaded Keitaro.

"It's possible," the doctor replied wirily, "but only for a few hours at a time."

* * *

The bright, yellow golden rays of light shone down on Mahora, warming the isolated city. As the last week of the summer break before classes began the city was slowly coming back to life as students, teachers, and citizens slowly began to get back into their daily rhythm. After weeks of following her new master's strict schedule, it felt nice to be able to get out and about without having to report in to the diminutive vampire. It was even better feeling the warmth of the sun on her soft, fair skin as she made her way around the city.

Few would have paid any attention to the brown haired boy as he exited the nearly packed afternoon train; then again, even fewer had endured the strenuous training under a master of the Musabetsu Kakutō Saotome Ryū**. **Unsure why the he would be out on his own, Shinobu Maehara veered off course as she gave in to her innate curiosity. "Hiro."

The younger Saotome snapped to attention and immediately turned to face the blunette. To any casual observer he appeared to have been startled, but to someone who had studied under Ranma, Shinobu knew better. Though Hiro looked relaxed, her keen eyes noted his posture and seemingly relaxed stance.

Her discerning eye barely moved from his tense muscles to the ornate staff in his hand before the youngest Saotome was in motion.

Like his father in his youth, Hiro moved like a crow, taking the straightest and thus fastest path. Despite his speed it only took Shinobu a few blocks to catch up with him, her longer legs and fully developed muscles giving her a clear advantage over her former master's son.

"Hiro," she cried out as she grabbed the staff with her left hand, "what are you doing with this?"

"Let me go!" he shouted, a spinning middle kick punctuated the urgency of his demand.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing with that," replied Shinobu as she swept him off his feet and exploited his extensive training in boxing.

Unable to manage the proper footwork for his particular style of offense and defense and keep hold of the staff, Hiro relinquished the magical staff as he flipped in the air before landing on his feet. "Give that back!"

"Why do you have this?"

A barrage of swift punches answered her query as the now upset boy sought to reclaim the staff that the demon known as Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman had once given Ranma Saotome.

Evading his attacks, Shinobu found herself lashing out reflexively as an opening presented itself. The lightning quick kick to the boy's head sent him flying into a nearby table. Fortunately the back street that they were in was empty.

"You were about to leave the city," concluded the blunette. "You were going to summon Graf."

Red faced and furious, Hiro sprang to his feet. "Give that back to me!"

Again he followed up his demand with another barrage of punches, and again he left himself open for counter.

As the more experience fighter Shinobu knew that he was just feinting, waiting for an opportunity to steal back the staff. Unwilling to play his game she leap high into the air, springing off one wall and then another before making her way up to the roof.

At least that had been her plan. A firm tug kept her from springing off the second wall, pulling her down to the once vacant street. Only her years of training allowed her to avoid the fierce kick and punch thrown by the former rivals of 2-A, though in her haste Shinobu was forced to yield the staff.

"What are you doing to Hiro?" a familiar voice demanded, even as the owner of said voice tugged at her ribbon, returning the staff to the younger Saotome.

"She took father's staff," Hiro lied. "She's trying to summon a demon."

"That's why he kicked you out," the fiery redhead said through grit teeth. "But you just couldn't keep away, could you?"

"And now you've attacked your former master's son," the over-protective blond declared as she planted herself firmly between Shinobu and Hiro.

Before she could even utter something in her defense the university student was forced to physically defend herself from three current students of her former master.

A trash can lid flew overhead, preventing her from leaping over her shorter opponents. Asuna opened with her usual jump kick while Ayaka charged in with a right hook.

"It's not what you think," Shinobu cried out as she grabbed the redhead's foot. Planting her foot she pivoted, sending the faster but shorter Asuna flying towards Ayaka. Only Maki's quick ribbon work kept the two from crashing into each other as the gymnast latched wrapped around Asuna's hand and sent her straight up.

With her longer reach Shinobu countered Ayaka's hook with a spinning back fist before jumping out of the way as Asuna landed hard, stomping down on the ground where the blunette had been standing a fraction of a second before. A middle kick turned into a high round house, connecting with Asuna's forearm as the younger girl managed to block the brunt of the blow but was still knocked off of her feet.

"You've learned to redirect the force of a blow," Shinobu grunted as she leapt over a trash can that Maki launched at her. "Let's see if Ranma's taught you this yet."

Reaching into her pocket Shinobu extracted a bag of sunflower seeds. Though they weren't as aerodynamic as marbles and lacked the punch of stones or chestnuts, it was much easier for her to carry a bag without anyone becoming too curious.

The barrage of seeds flew at the larger of her two opponents. A combination of the poor lighting in the back street and the size and speed of the projectiles kept the girls from keeping up with the flicker of movement that signaled an attack. Though the seeds wouldn't do any real damage, by aiming at the girl's eyes forced them to either defend their face or move out of the way. Both girls opted for the latter, leaving Maki alone.

Grabbing the ribbon in her right hand, Shinobu pulled, winning the test of strength against the smaller Maki and sending the startled gymnast flying. Before Asuna and Ayaka could even realize what had happened, Shinobu connected with a powerful uppercut to the petite girl's stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs and taking her out of the fight.

"Maki!" both shouted just as they each launched themselves at the older girl.

Enraged, they fell into their old habits, leaving themselves open to Shinobu's counters. Though they were used to exchanging blows with each other, neither girl had expected their former sempai to have such power behind her blows. A stiff spinning round house connected with Asuna's temple, dazing the redhead even as Shinobu moved out of Ayaka's range. With Asuna between them Shinobu knew that she had a small window/shield from the taller and most experienced fighter.

A front kick to Asuna's kidney sent the redhead flying into her former rival, forcing Ayaka to leap out of the way even as Asuna crashed into a wall. Concerned with her companion's wellbeing, the blond provided just enough of an opening for her opponent as Shinobu connected with a powerful spinning high kick to the ribs.

"Sorry," Shinobu apologized as Ayaka fought for air.

"What did you do?" a new voice demanded.

"I don't have time for this Haruna," the blunette stated as she rushed towards the two new comers.

"Sesha cannot let you go," the taller of the two girls stated.

"Hiro stole Graf's staff," Shinobu stated. "He's headed off campus to summon the demon. He lied and turned them against me so that he could get away with the staff."

As the most clear-headed girl of the group, Haruna contemplated her former sempai's words.

"You know I wouldn't fight you girls without reason," the young woman added. "You know that Ayaka and Asuna can fly off the handle sometimes, it didn't help that Hiro provoked them."

"It's alright," Haruna muttered as she put her hand on Kaede's shoulder. "But it doesn't make sense."

"I know," Shinobu added. "But…"

Haruna nodded knowingly, neither one willing to tell the others of Ranma's arrangement with the demon and Hiro's history with training under the demon.

"I don't know where Tenma is," Haruna stated. "He's probably with Luke. I don't know where Uncle is"

"and he doesn't have a cell phone," Shinobu finished. "Hiro knows we're looking for him, he probably won't go to the first place off campus he finds."

Haruna nodded.

"I can track him," Kaede stated.

"Fine," Haruna quickly agreed. "You three catch up once you're ready."

* * *

The bright afternoon light greeted Naru Narusegawa. Though her eyes were still closed she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin even through the thick double paned glass window. Slowly her mind processed the information that her body was gathering as she woke from her slumber. The first fact she'd processed was that it was much later than normal for her to wake up; the second was that she wasn't in her own bed, or even in a familiar bed. The thick mattress was far plusher than her mattress and the starchiness of the sheets suggested that it wasn't one of Ranma's beds. Takahata didn't have a bed, only a futon mattress that he'd lay out when he was preparing for bed, and he never used a cover sheet.

"Naru?" a soft, feminine voice exclaimed. Warm, gentle hands grasped hers.

"Mutsumi?" she replied automatically. Her parched throat and mouth barely managed to let the woman's name out. Slowly she forced her eyes open, only to be stunned by the bright light coming through the window. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital." The firm, gruff voice belonged to Takahata.

Eye closed she focused on the unfamiliar sensations – the tubes over her lip and going into her nose, the needle in her arm, the tape holding the needle and the tube in place, the gentle beeping of a heart monitor – yep, she was definitely in the hospital.

Forcing her mouth to salivate, she tried to work up the strength for more words.

"Drink this." Another male; this one younger than the other, and much more hesitant than Takahata.

Forcing her mouth open, she allowed Keitaro to put a cup to her lips. The cool liquid felt like a balm to her dry mouth, easing away the stiffness. It seemed like an eternity but was perhaps only a few seconds, and the cup and the cooling water were gone. Her body felt rejuvenated by the water, though she knew that it had in fact just water and not some elixir that had been pressed to her lips.

"What happened?" she finally asked. "And where's Ranma?"

"I'm right here," the immortal replied. "Hiro found you passed out in the dojo."

Naru nodded, recalling the previous night. "Sorry to frighten all of you. I guess I didn't know when to stop."

Taking a deep breath she smiled at them even as she slowly opened her eyes, allowing them the time to adjust to the bright and beautiful day. A nagging feeling formed in the back of her mind as she took in the somber looks on her friends' faces.

Mutsumi, the picture of beauty, had a sad look in her eyes as she fought back tears. Keitaro, though older and more mature, seemed to have relapsed back into the timid and meek ronin that she'd first met. The always calm and collected Takahata looked like he was bearing the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. Ranma, the youthful immortal, stood opposite her, his illusions dispelled; rarely seen bags under his eyes told of the long, restless night and day he'd endured.

"Wh… what is it?" she finally asked, her eyes now fully open.

Mutsumi was the first to break down, collapsing onto her friend as gentle sobs wracked her body.

"It's cancer," Ranma finally admitted, his striking blue eyes locked with hers unflinchingly. The cool eyes held a sorrow that she'd never seen before, a look that was unbecoming for him.

"It can't be," she found herself saying. "I'm fine! I just over did it – that's all. I'm fine!"

"The doc said brain cancer," the immortal added, his usually cheerful voice flat and emotionless.

"Is there"

"Nothing we can do," Takahata interrupted. "We have no cure for cancer, and yours is too advanced for any conventional treatments."

Her former lover's words hit her like one of Shinobu's punches, robbing her of her breath and the power of speech. Warm, wet trails ran down her gentle cheeks. Overwhelmed by the news her mind failed to process anything else as it sought some plausible explanation or hole in their logic to exploit. "But… magic."

"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.

"But Ranma…" she fought a losing battle to clear her vision as she looked at the immortal's pleadingly. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound – can't you help me?"

"Naru," Keitaro interjected.

"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

* * *

"He's headed out of the city," Kaede stated as Asuna, Ayaka, and Maki finally caught up with them.

"Straight as the crow flies," Shinobu muttered. She should have expected it.

"Sorry."

The eldest of the group spared the blond a brief glance and nod. "He knows you almost as well as I do."

"I can't believe he lied to us," grumbled the short-tempered redhead. "When we catch up to him I'm gonna beat him to a pulp."

"You'll do no such thing," Ayaka proclaimed. "He must have good reason to lie, even if he should know better."

"What's with the staff?" the ever inquisitive Maki asked as she clutched her stomach.

"Uncle acquired it from a demon," Haruna explained. "It's supposed to summon him."

The other girls of 2-A gasped.

"Not all demons are bad," the mangaka stated. "But most do seek to take advantage of humanity and our weaknesses."

"What would Hiro want to trade his soul for?" Maki wondered aloud. Her classmates threw her a scathing look. "What? What else would he summon a demon for?"

A shiver ran up the blunette's spine as she glanced at the horizon. "Whatever it is, we have to stop him."

* * *

For nearly a decade Ranma Saotome had questioned what it meant to be a man amongst men. That goal had driven his father literally to the ends of the earth, bringing his son with him, as Genma Saotome sought to make the most of Ranma Saotome.

As a fighter Ranma was said to have been the best of his generation – unequaled by even the combined might of his three most prolific rivals. How many times had he managed to best Tatewaki Kuno, Mousse, and Ryoga Hibiki individually and together? Yes, as a fighter he was without peer.

Women flocked to him. First came Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi in Nerima, and then Naru, Motoko, and Shinobu in Hinata.

Physical prowess and charm… they were useful at times, but this was not one of those times.

"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.

A different strength was required here, one that Ranma had rarely employed in his life.

Steeling his soul, Ranma looked at the nearly hysterical Naru Narusegawa.

"But Ranma…" her pleading eyes blinking away the tears. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound – can't you help me?"

Each word cut at his soul, robbing him of the strength to reply.

"Naru," Keitaro interjected on his behalf only to be shouted down.

"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

The ring of truth in her words shattered his battered soul. _'She's right, it's not fair.'_

"Why do you get to live forever?" she demanded.

"Naru!" Takahata hissed as she moved to her side.

"It's not Ranma's fault," Keitaro insisted. "Do you think it's easy for him? For any of us?"

"You get to live a normal life! You don't have to live with cancer! Do you know how hard it is for me?"

"Naru, please," Mutsumi pleaded as she wrapped her arms around her beloved best friend.

"Ranma!" Naru sobbed, her body curling up in bed as her emotions overwhelmed her. "I'll do anything – please! You have to help me! PLEASE HELP ME!"

* * *

"I'll do anything."

It was a phrase that he'd heard many times before. Those three despite words were essential to any good deal, often resulting in an exchange for the speaker's soul.

Looking down at the boy's unwavering blue eyes, the grey eyed demon sighed. He'd thought the boy everything he knew about demonic powers and deals hoping to have the boy spread the word to his foolish peers. It wasn't hard for the naïve and clueless mortals to summon a demon, often willing to exchange their souls for some power, or physical beauty, or even for the love of someone else.

"I expected better of you Hiro," the well-dressed demon stated as he eyed his former student. "You're willing to trade your soul for a woman you barely know."

Resolute in his decision, brown haired Saotome stood his ground. "Can you cure her?"

"How do you know she has cancer?" he asked, buying time. Of all the souls to claim, this was the one that he desired the least. But it wasn't in his nature to decline a deal, still, he couldn't help but try to find a way for the boy to get out of it.

"You taught me healing magic," Hiro explained. "I may not be good with it yet, but I know when I've found cancer. It disrupts the sensory spell, and any subsequent healing spells because it can't be cured by magic. Cancer generates an unnatural influx of chi which by nature disrupts mana. Only a few select people can generate chi and mana at the same time."

"So it's cancer," Graf muttered. "You know that even we can't cure cancer."

"I know that you can't, but you can have it removed," the boy countered. "By binding a Reaper, or a Shinigami, you can have them transfer the disease from one person to another. I'm willing to offer my soul."

Jaw muscles clenched as the demon looked down at his former student. "I don't have the power to bind a Shinigami. Even with your soul and your slowly developing powers I wouldn't have enough mojo to bind one of them."

For a moment Hiro stood his ground, unwilling to give up so easily.

"He may not be able to bind a Shinigami, but I can."

Both demon and protégé turned to the newcomer.

"This is my deal," Graf hissed as he looked down at the white haired construct. "Besides, you're no demon."

"I know," the youthful looking construct stated. "But I can pull it off; I just need you to broker the deal."

"Do it," Hiro urged.

The demon paused, glancing from one boy to the other.

"If you don't do it, I'll find someone else who's willing to do it," the brunette added. "Please."

"Fine," he relented. "Who do I transfer the cancer to?"

"Give it to me," Hiro replied coolly.

"What a noble spirit," the construct grinned. "I'm going to enjoy owning your soul."

X X X X X

Skin moistened with perspiration, Ranma stared at the floor, the words of his companions falling on his deaf ears as he struggled to reign in his swirling emotions. Drained mentally, physically, and emotionally, he found himself in the hallway as the doctor and several nurses tended to Naru, undoing the spell that had awoken the comatose woman from her slumber in the wake of her hysteria.

"She didn't mean it," Keitaro whispered.

Ranma sighed.

"She's going through a lot right now."

The immortal nodded absently, unable to find the words to articulate his feelings and thoughts. "Takahata." It was his voice, yet he didn't even realize that he'd thought much less spoken aloud. "Take care of her."

The other men looked at him blankly.

"It's you she needs right now, not me." Again the words seemed so distant, almost as though he were watching and listening to someone else speaking. "I'm never going to know what she's going through right now, I lack that perspective that you've got. She's not going to want me around right now."

He didn't even realize it, but somehow he'd made it to the stairwell before Keitaro had caught up to him.

"Where are you going?" his friend demanded.

"She doesn't want me here. She resents me, she's angry at me, I don't belong here."

Exasperated, Keitaro could only gape in surprise as he floundered. Words escaped his grasp at his friend's foolishness.

"Naru's with Takahata right now," Ranma added, further adding to Keitaro's befuddlement. "Well, she was with him before the summer break, and she wants to be with him still. I don't have a place in her life anymore. We've both moved on."

He was running, even though he'd never admit to it. It was the Saotome Ultimate technique, and it worked in not-martial arts situations as well.

X X X X X

A/N

Yes, cancer is cheap. It's used all the time in Korean soaps and movies. No one ever thinks it'll happen to them or someone they love, but then it does. So what do you do? What do you say?

Cancer is very real, and it's not easy to deal with, either for yourself or for those you love.

Writing is a release. It helps me express things anonymously away from those who need me to stay strong and who are already dealing with so much already.

I think I'll leave things here for now.

Dreamingfox


	33. Chapter 33

Author's Notes -

**Bold** – Speaking in English or another language, often noted after speaking.

When I started writing 'My Immortal' I had a totally different vision for this fic. It started out as a nice, light crossover and turned into a readable RanmaxNaru fic. And then I tried to expand it to cover more of Akamatsu's works, namely Negima, but then life happened. The plot's taken a dramatic twist, and previous elements have been ignored or pushed aside to take into account the new direction of this fic. I hope you that those of you who still enjoy reading this fic will continue to do so. And for those of you who don't for various reasons, well, I can't please you all, so you're free to write what you want to, but if you do use some plot elements, well, I don't even care if you acknowledge me or not because I'm sure that there are many who have had similar ideas but just haven't put them down on paper (or cyberspace).

* * *

The off-white paint gave the room a cold, but clean feeling that unsettled Ranma Saotome's nerves. Logically he understood why the room was painted the way it was, but he couldn't help but feel that the color, or lack thereof, did little to sooth the nerves of those either staying in or visiting the room.

"You should go back to your rooms," he suggested as he looked at the ragged group of girls. "You're going to dirty up the room."

His lame attempt at humor fell on deaf ears as the gathered girls looked down on the tiny figure in the clean bed.

Tears streamed down the faces of his students, some current, one former, as they fought to contain their emotions.

"What happened?"

Everyone turned towards the door at the towering international student as he and Tenma entered the room.

"We were sparring," Shinobu explained, "and then suddenly he fell over. We thought he was just playing around at first, but then…"

Tenma glanced at the girls, noting their appearance before turning to his brother.

"The doctor says that it's cancer," an edge to his voice as he accepted the man's diagnosis. "Brain tumor, but it's also shot off a clot that got into his lungs."

Tenma's blue eyes focused on Hiro, his artificial eyes taking in everything. "There's nothing we can do," he deduced, his tone cold and even.

"How can you say that?" Asuna snapped, a hint of anger and frustration in her eyes. "Isn't there anything"

"Magic won't work," Luke interrupted. "While magic can suppress cancer, it can't cure it. Only dark magic can truly cure it, but that would require something like another person's life or their soul."

"There are limits to what magic can do," Ranma added.

Only the gentle hiss from the respirator and a few sniffles kept the room from being completely silent as the occupants were at a loss for words.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Maki finally ventured to ask.

"There's a spell that could wake him up for a bit," Ranma stated. "The doctor's gathering mana for it, but won't be able to perform it for another hour. Naru's gone to the house to get some things for me, and Takahata's taking care of Saffron and Negi.

"Tenma, Luke, take the girls back to their rooms, they look like they could use a bath," he ordered. "I'm sure that you and Luke haven't eaten yet, so get some food while you're out as well.

"Haruna, call your parents, let them know what's happened."

Reluctantly they left, leaving him alone with his youngest son.

He didn't know why, but something about the entire situation bothered him. True, he didn't know who Hiro's biological mother was, and what her family history was, but surely Dr. Tofu would have checked her family's history for cancer. A critical illness like this would have worked against his plan to use the children to fight against their father.

It didn't make sense. Something was wrong… but what? What did he miss?

Straining his already exhausted mind, he struggled to make sense of everything. His normally keen mind failed to register the sound of the gentle knocking at the door or of it opening.

"Ranma?"

Glancing up, he felt his unease lighten slightly. "Motoko, what are you doing here?"

"I was told that Naru was in the hospital," the Shinmei-ryu heir replied.

Ranma blinked at the news, "She was, she was here visiting Hiro, but she's gone now."

It was the kendoka's turn to blink as she processed his words. "But Keitaro called and told me that Naru was in the hospital."

The immortal opened his mouth to correct her, only to realize that he hadn't informed Keitaro or anyone from the Hinata Sou about Tenma's condition. "She was admitted for exhaustion, but she was released just before Hiro was admitted."

The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt, as though someone was blocking his memories. If Keitaro and Mutsumi had been here to visit Naru, why hadn't they stopped to visit Hiro?

Straining his mind, he momentarily forgot about Motoko, allowing her to slam her hand against his forehead. The feel of cool metal pressed against his suddenly hot skin sent a soothing wave of relief throughout his body.

"You've been enchanted," she muttered. "It's powerful."

"Damn," the immortal cursed. "What's going on here."

"I'll get a nurse."

"No. I don't trust them."

The kendoka gave him an amused look.

"I'm not in good standing here, you know that. To them I'm still an outsider regardless of what the Dean says."

"Someone sealed and altered your memories, but why?"

* * *

Tenma Saotome was not curious by nature. The cyborg tended to simply accept the facts presented to him, but something about this entire situation with his brother was off. The facts just weren't adding up.

"You say that you were sparring," he remarked aloud, surprising himself as he heard his own voice.

"Yes, we were sparring," the buxom blunette stated as she glanced curiously at the cyborg.

"Yeah, we were sparring," Asuna reaffirmed.

"Where?" Luke asked.

"In the forest outside of town," Haruna answered. "Why?"

"You don't look like you've been sparring in the forest." Again Tenma scanned the girls. "There are no grass or mud stains on any of you."

"Did you clean up afterwards?" the more tactful of the two boys asked.

"No, we rushed to the hospital," Ayaka replied.

"Why don't you girls go back to the dorms," Luke suggested. "I'm sure that if we take you back to the dorms and try to get some stuff back at the dojo we won't make it back in time."

"That's a good idea," Shinobu agreed quickly. "Besides, you don't even know where I live now. Why don't we just meet back up at the hospital."

Before Tenma could even protest, Luke placed his firm hand on his friend's shoulder, drawing him away from the girls.

"**What are you doing?**" the cyborg asked, his English far better than what anyone expected.

"**You're basically calling the girls liars,**" Luke replied once they were out of earshot. "**That's never a good thing to do. If things aren't adding up, it's possible that they don't know what's going on either. And with Asuna and Ayaka's temper, calling them liars would probably result in a fight.**"

There was no denying the werewolf's logic. "**So, what do we do?**"

"**I've got their scent, so we back track it from the hospital, alright?**"

"**Fine**."

* * *

It was wrong, it was all wrong.

Naru Narusegawa was smiling, happy even, but she knew she shouldn't be. Not when Ranma was in such misery; not when Hiro was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Yet she couldn't help but be happy.

That was why she'd excused herself from the hospital, why she'd jumped at the chance to leave his side even when he probably needed her support; support that he was far too proud to admit he needed.

She couldn't explain it, but somehow it felt as though she now had a new lease on life.

'_Maybe Hiro's mortality that reminded me how short my own life is,_' she pondered as she tried to put a different spin on things. '_Not everyone's going to live as long as Ranma, and it's probably tearing him up inside to have to watch Hiro dying before his eyes. He truly is cursed_.'

* * *

"Where have you been?"

Shinobu Maehara had expected such an outburst upon returning to Evangeline's cabin. The temperamental vampire was prone to such fits, forcing the young university student to deal with her master's mood before getting down to business.

"There was an emergency," she replied as she offered the tiny blond a polite, yet rushed bow. "But I believe my memories have been tampered with."

Temper tantrum abated, she looked into the lavender eyes of the vampire, allowing her master to peer into her mind.

"Yes, they have," Evangeline scowled as she pulled away from the buxom young woman. "It's powerful, but I could undo it."

Reassured, Shinobu offered a weak smile.

"But do I want to?"

She froze at her master's words.

"It's probably better that you don't know the truth," Eva teased. "I gain nothing from restoring your memory, but I risk much. You've a bond with your former peers and my fellow classmates, and you all share the same memory block, though perhaps it's best to not share too much with them."

Her mind raced, catching the subtle hints that the immortal before her dropped. "I wasn't sparring with them, I was actually fighting them."

"Ah, see, you're beginning to piece things together already," taunted the vampire. "You don't need me for this."

* * *

Following Luke's keen nose, it didn't take too long for the duo to find just where the girls' had claimed to be sparring. The now empty glade appeared to have seen better days, but not because there'd been a fight. To an untrained eye it might have appeared that way, but to Tenma Saotome it was clear something else had moved things around to hide what had truly happened.

"Magic," the blond stated as he sniffed the air. "Powerful magic, probably at least on the level of a major demon. They're just beyond the city's wards so it's possible.

"It doesn't make any sense; why would they come here to spar?"

"They didn't," the cyborg concluded. "Most magical students spar in secluded areas throughout the city and campus, they never leave the protection of the wards just for a spar."

"Then they were really fighting?"

Tenma shook his head. "Perhaps, but not here. The footprints don't suggest a fight or sparring, but the injuries that the girls' had suggest more than just light sparring." He pointed to the ground and the light dirt tracks. "They were knocked out by a powerful spell, that's what pushed things around."

With no further clues around, the pair reluctantly followed the girls' trail back into the city, making their way swiftly over the roof tops.

"This is where they fought," Tenma declared.

Though the back street had seen plenty of traffic during the day, the wolf's keen nose and the cyborg's discerning eye picked up evidence of the fight between the girls.

"Shinobu picked them apart," Tenma stated.

"Smells like she knocked Asuna into the wall over here," Luke said as he sniffed the wall. "Maki was using her ribbon, and Ayaka and Asuna faced off against Maehara-sempai. Smells like before the girls got here it was just Hiro and Shinobu.

"She cased him from down there," he pointed down the street. "Caught up to him, then tried to get away only to have the girls come across them from over there" he pointed to the other intersection "and Hiro took off going that way" he pointed back where they had come.

"But why was he at the train station?"

Tenma snapped to attention, "He was trying to leave the city."

"But why?"

"We have to get back home," the cyborg declared. "Find what's missing in father's room – that'll tell us what kind of spell Hiro cast."

* * *

Despite her earlier protests, Evangeline McDowell knew that she couldn't just let things lay as they were. Though Shinobu was her newest partner and minion, the vampire couldn't let the fact that someone had tampered with the girl's memories go.

The easiest route was of course a magic-canceling spell, but that wouldn't tell her who had altered the blunette's memories or why. True, there was the possibility that once Shinobu regained her real memories she could discover the source and cause, but it was no guarantee.

The other option was to simply overpower the existing spell, no simple feat considering her current predicament. Yes, the full moon would grant her more of her powers, but then they'd have to wait until nightfall. Though the immortal had the time to spare, it was clear from her young partner's pacing that Maehara lacked patience.

"Is there something bothering you?" ventured the vampire.

For a moment the blunette paused, reluctantly looking away. "What do you know about cancer?"

"There's no magical cure," she replied. "Why?"

Again the girl paused.

"Why do you look like you've been fighting?" she asked instead.

"I was sparring with Saotome sensei's students."

Keen eyes narrowed as the vampire eyed her mortal partner.

"I think I might have been fighting with them against whomever altered our memories."

"Really?" That was an interesting morsel. "A wide ranging memory wipe… Tell me everything that you remember about today from the time you woke up until the time you came back to the cabin."

* * *

"He was definitely in here," Luke stated as he sniffed the air around Ranma's bedroom. "The door's warded against me though."

The cyborg nodded. Privacy was one of his father's major concerns. It didn't surprise him that he'd protected the room and barred most from entering. But if Hiro had gotten in then he could get in as well. There were only a few times when the cyborg had entered his father's room, usually to get something that the elder Saotome kept in his room. Trusting in the fact that the room wasn't warded against him, Tenma stepped through the threshold, his eyes scanning the room even as he accessed previous visual recordings of his time in the room.

"Shit," he found himself cursing. "Hiro took the staff."

Dashing out of the room, he looked up at his bewildered companion.

"The staff that father used to summon the demon who raised Hiro for the last few years."

Luke blinked at the implication. "Why would Hiro make a deal with a demon? Why would he want to get cancer?"

Tenma paused, running that very question through his processors. It didn't make sense. There was no logical reason why Hiro would do something like that. "I need to report this to father."

* * *

The atmosphere of the Sakura Lane Girls' Dormitory was often described as energetic and jubilant by the residents, even during finals and exams as the young girls rarely let anything sour their moods. It was one of the reasons why Chao enjoyed living in the dorms. Not only were her classmates quick to pick up on each other's moods, they were quick to step in and try to brighten each other's day.

As the end of the summer break loomed on the horizon, the class genius had opted to simply enjoy the vibe of the dorm rather than straining to complete her long-term goals. With her resources spread so thin already she should have been trying to discover the reason for the power flare the other day, but with no concrete leads she knew that it was best to just let things go as they were. She'd be able to keep an eye out for any further developments, but for now she couldn't do anything more than push forward with her plans.

"Asuna!" the ever cheerful Konoka called out as she stood before the common room window and waved down to her roommate.

"It looks like they've had a hard day at the dojo," Ako remarked as she joined Konoka at the window.

Stealing a glance out the window, Chao eyed her future opponents. As a student of history, well, her present would be history, she knew which students to watch out for. It was no surprise that Asuna and Ayaka were two of the class' foremost figures, their reputations already spreading throughout the campus. Maki was at best a second tier threat to her plans, but her fervor and loyalty were unquestionable. Haruna was the most troublesome as her abilities and methods were unorthodox. The recent addition of Kaede though seemed to throw a wrench into her plans, though the kunoichi had always been a mystery as she kept everyone but the twins at a distance.

"Something's wrong," remarked the ever emotive Konoka.

"They are back from training a bit early," Ako reaffirmed as she and Konoka turned away from the window and rushed towards their respective rooms.

Curious, Chao and Kazumi, as well as a few other girls followed.

"Maybe Asuna got shot down," speculated Misa.

Sakurako paused to reflect before replying, "I thought she wasn't going to do 'it' until the last day of the break."

"Maybe the found him with another girl?" interjected Madoka.

"Maybe they found out he's gay?" Misa added.

"No way!" exclaimed Sakurako.

"He does spend a lot of time with Luke," said Misa.

"But he's dating Ako," Madoka pouted.

"Well, he is pretty dreamy, and just because Luke can't return his feelings doesn't mean that Tenma might not swing that way," stated Misa. The other cheerleaders sighed, exasperated and defeated by their peer's skewed logic and conviction.

Chao had long ago learned to tune out the frivolous girls' chatter as their random ideas rarely held any relevant information. Kazumi was the best source for any pertinent information, at least anything that hadn't been covered in the various biographies and books about the past which was now her present.

"Asuna," Konoka called out as the usually fiery redhead and the others emerged from the stair well, "what's wrong?"

Never one to keep her emotions in check, it was painfully obvious that Asuna was putting on a strong face.

"It's Hiro," the usually calm and cool Ayaka replied unsteadily with hint of grief and sorrow.

Before anyone could say anything else Kaede stepped forward, shaking her head and immediately silencing everyone. In a rare display of support for her former rival, Asuna put her arm around Ayaka's trembling shoulders, leading the tall blond away from their classmates.

While the younger Saotome was actually just as old, if not older than the girls of 2-A, his appearance was that of someone a few years younger than them. It didn't help that he looked nothing like his older brother, or that Tenma appeared to be significantly older than Hiro despite the year or so difference in their ages – similar to how the twins appeared so young, especially compared to Kaede, despite being the same age as the rest of them. Few had them had met the newest Saotome as he'd only come to Mahora less than a month ago, but more and more had spotted him with Tenma and Luke.

Most knew that Ayaka had a thing for younger boys. But over the past few weeks she'd apparently become enamored with him, mentioning him often in the little time she and the others weren't training and were actually with the girls of 2-A. Evidently she'd latched onto the younger Saotome sibling in her slow progression away from younger boys.

Whatever was happening though had obviously shaken the usually unflappable Class Rep. Only Asuna was capable of getting Ayaka worked up, but for her former rival to offer her comfort and support led the remaining girls of 2-A to speculate on what was going on.

* * *

The tiny hospital room was thick with tension as the raven haired immortal paced. Everyone who truly knew Ranma Saotome knew that he thought best while fighting, but it was clear that now was not the time for it. Forced to make do with simply pacing, the master martial artist walked back and forth before the foot of his son's bed.

For her part Motoko Aoyama knew better than to disrupt his train of thought. In the handful of years that she'd known him she'd only seen him thus once before. His keen mind stretched to the limit as it processed a multitude of facts allowed his highly trained body to move automatically around the room. For someone capable of avoiding physical attacks in his sleep, the act of taking a few steps and turning around was unbelievably simple.

"Aoyama-sama," she heard, her own mind too distracted by her friend's situation to pay attention to the world around her. Reflexively she snapped her head to the side, her eyes locked on the young man before her.

"Tenma," she replied, a smile to her lips. Though she knew what the boy actually was, she still accepted him for what his father wanted him to be. Ranma Saotome was a master illusionist. As such his life was full of lies such as Tenma. Despite the fact that that was not the truth, Ranma and Tenma, as well as those who knew both of them had come to accept it as the truth. "And you must be Luke."

The tall blond nodded, unsure what to say to the beautiful woman before him as he followed Tenma into the tiny room.

There was once a time when seeing a young boy blushing as he looked her over would have upset her, but Motoko had long ago matured past that point. In truth she'd gotten used to such looks as she'd accepted the fact that perhaps she wasn't as plain and ordinary as she'd once thought she was.

"She's Setsuna's sensei," Tenma stated as he closed the door to the room.

Her senses tingled as she noticed the cyborg perform a sweep of the room with his electronic sensors. "Father"

"What did you find?" the immortal asked as he glanced at his son.

She could feel Luke's eyes on her, this time looking past her physical beauty as he gauged her trustworthiness. Though she was a martial arts master herself as well as a close friend of his master's the werewolf knew little about her.

"Hiro used the Count's staff," the cyborg stated.

Ranma froze, his pacing halted at the discovery. "That's enough," the elder Saotome stated, ending the discussion.

"But" Luke interjected.

"Not now," Motoko proclaimed. "The doctor will be here any minute now to revive Hiro."

As the head of the Shinmeiryu, she knew the implications. Dealing with demons was forbidden. In the past the Shinmeiryu had been called in to exterminate demons and those who had dealt with them. Only a handful of people knew that Ranma had previously made a deal with a demon, a secret that none of them dared share. As respected leaders of their own clans and schools they could not be associated with someone like Ranma should word ever get out.

Under Happosai the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū had been little more than a small group of unstoppable dojo destroyers, thieves, and upstarts, but under Ryoga the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū had become respectable. With Ranma now in position to become the next Grand Master the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū was set to become a true power inside the martial arts and magical world. A scandal like this though would undo all credibility that both Ryoga and Ranma had established, forcing the others like the Kanto Magic Association and Kansai Magic Association to disavow and shun him. While the other MA's might accept half-demons and even lesser demons into their ranks, forming a contract with a greater demon was unacceptable.

This was serious dark magic and grounds for the other MA's to put a bounty on his head. Even she couldn't protect Hiro. Then again, he wouldn't need protecting, not for much longer anyways.

"Father," the boy called out weakly.

"Hiro." She could hear the tension in his voice as her friend and former lover rushed to his son's side.

"Tenma," the brown haired Saotome muttered as he turned to face his elder sibling.

"Hiro," Tenma returned as he pulled the mask off of his brother's face.

Motoko and Luke stood back, allowing the Saotome family to share the unscripted moment.

"Why?" the cyborg asked as he gripped the magical staff for his brother to see.

The younger Saotome licked his lips, "You'll understand someday."

* * *

All of the girls in class 2-A knew that doubt and concern rarely appeared on Konoka Konoe's face. The carefree girl was said to be unflinchingly optimistic even in the face of the most daunting of tasks. Yet something had clearly shaken her.

Tasked as she was to watch over her former childhood friend Setsuna Sakurazaki couldn't help but feel a bit flustered as she noted the furrowed brow on her classmate's face.

"You're worried about her," the class genius stated as she startled the kendoka from her reverie.

"Yes," the unofficial face of 2-A replied.

'Of course, no one really talks to me,' the kendoka thought in relief as she continued to watch from a distance.

"You've grown distant lately," Chao stated as she walked over towards Konoka. "I barely see you two together anymore. Asuna's always with Ayaka, Maki, Haruna, and now Kaede."

"Saotome-sensei pushes them hard," Konoka replied as she forced a smile.

"Sensei no want others to know his training secrets," Ku Fei interjected. "But this different – they no feel like they were training - something bad happen."

A chill ran down Setsuna's spine at the kung fu prodigy's proclamation. Had something happened to Hiro?

"We find out," the foreign born girl urged as she took Konoka's hand into hers, pulling the petite girl out of her seat.

"But," the ever proper Konoka protested.

"You come too," Ku Fei suggested as she turned to the kendoka. "Saotome-sensei should know Hiro have many friends."

The kung fu master's words erased any lingering doubts that Konoka had. Everyone knew that the empathetic girl always had a soft spot for other people's suffering and pain. Though she barely knew Hiro, the youngest Saotome sibling had been spending more and more time with the girls of 2-A over the past few weeks and he was Haruna's cousin. "Okay."

Though her face remained neutral, Setsuna couldn't help but feel concerned about the recent turn of events. Everyone in the Shinmeiryu knew of Ranma Saotome and respected his prowess, but that had not kept some of them from speaking of him behind his back. Not that he was around much, but his bond to the former acting head of the Shinmeiryu's husband and her predecessor made him a frequent target.

Speculation about his numerous children and the fact that none of them had the same mother, and why some had supposedly been raised by less than reputable martial arts masters or magi before being taken in by the Shinmeiryu or by the Grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū tainted the young kendoka's view of the respected master. With as many children as he was said to have fathered, why was he only raising two? And why were they all the same age? Of the ones she'd heard of and met, only Tenma was older than she was, though the difference in their age was supposed to be less than a year. Ryoko, Hiro, and Akira were all her age, and their birthdays were only a few weeks apart.

No matter how she looked at things the facts just didn't seem to add up and it was all the things she didn't know about Saotome-sensei that urged her to be cautious around him. Still, if Konoka was going to investigate, then it was her duty to accompany her, to keep her safe of course.

* * *

A/N

I think I'll end things here for now. It's taking much longer than I expected to write this chapter...

Dreamingfox


	34. Chapter 34

Author's Notes –

I have to admit, I've been feeling unmotivated recently. I really want to start writing something else, but writing this arc has been therapeutic in a way.

So depressed, stupid Packers… Now I gotta hope that the Pats knock everyone else out, and hope that Brady finally gets his revenge on Eli… Don't want stupid Alex Smith winning, and I'd rather Eli represents the NFC…

As always, please Read and Review.

* * *

Gentle footsteps filled the spacious room as the cabin's lone occupant paced about the room. "I shouldn't have let her go," the platinum blond grumbled.

"Isn't that why you sent me after her?" her artificial partner replied over the personal radio.

"I should be working on breaking the memory lock," Evangeline huffed.

"But Maehara expressed her desire to be at the hospital," the gynoid replied.

"It's not like she can keep him from dying," the immortal snapped.

"She is not as practiced as you are at facing death," Chachamaru replied.

The muscles in Eva's jaw clinched. _'Young or old, age doesn't matter if you care for someone.'_

"Kazumi is at the hospital," the gynoid stated. "Shall I withdraw?"

"She's at the room?" 'Of course she's there,' the vampire mentally scolded herself. Chachamaru would not have mentioned that tidbit of information had the reporter not been on hand.

"Yes," the gynoid's curt reply almost sounded snippy, though Eva knew better.

"Scan everyone for magical tampering."

"It's the hospital," Chachamaru replied. "Almost every patient is undergoing some sort of magical treatment."

"Never mind," the vampire grunted. "I'll be there momentarily."

* * *

Hospitals. Few people gave the towering buildings little thought except when confronted with them. Though the assortment of specifically placed fauna was meant to make the building appear visually appealing and relaxing, it did little to sooth Ako Izumi. As class 2-A's 'nurse' the grey haired girl had spent the most time at the hospital leading all but those closest to her to believe that she was comfortable being there. That was far from being true though.

The hulking, disinfected building was definitely Ako's least favorite place despite the amount of time she spent there. Playing nurse had come naturally to her as she'd spent innumerous days there since coming to Mahora. Then again, it really hadn't been her choice. Learning how to handle needles, band aids, gauze, and about various medications had never been a choice.

'No wonder Makie didn't say anything,' mused Ako as she watched the quintet of girls hastily enter the hospital. 'She knows how I feel about coming here when I don't have to.'

"Ako," Kazumi called out as the class reporter popped up beside her. "You're pretty friendly with the hospital staff, right?"

Reflexively the smaller girl nodded. Now really wasn't the time for her to reveal her own secrets and lies. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, I was thinking that your contacts might be able to give us the scoop on why they're here," replied the ever noisy redhead.

"I think it's best that we just follow them for now," Konoka suggested as their classmates headed for the back of the lobby.

"Yeah," Ako agreed as she allowed the brunette to take the lead.

Their conversation momentarily ended, the girls rushed to keep up with their classmates while trying not to draw any attention to themselves. Fortunately for her none of the staff bothered to greet her or the others as they made their way past two reception desks, two waiting areas, and up one of the side stairwells.

"I'm glad you came along," Kazumi giggled as the grey haired girl led the group. "I probably would have gotten lost already."

Reaching the landing that the other girls had exited, Ako paused. She'd been here once before. Once, soon after she'd arrived in Mahora. Unfortunately she'd been too young to remember much, though the drug induced haze probably helped as well. Still, simply standing before the Intensive Care Unit sent chills down her spine.

"They went this way," Konoka said, her voice drawing the other girls' attention away from the sign before them. No one paid the grey haired girl any heed as they followed Konoka's lead into the ICU.

"We shouldn't," she squeaked out in protest. Only Ku Fei's firm hand kept her from staying behind as the proud and unabashed martial artist dragged her into the ICU.

"I think they went down here," Kazumi added as they reached an intersection and pointed to the right. The unmanned reception desk kept the group from being questioned as the skeleton crew of nurses attended to their patients' needs.

Ako could feel a lump forming in her breast and stomach. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't stop the others. _'I'm just a background character after all,'_ she lamented. _'They're not going to listen to me, not when they've gone this far already. There's nothing I can say or do to keep them from going down there.'_

As one the group reached the end of the hallway. Urgent beeping escaped the open door of the last room, drawing the ever curious Kazumi and ultimately the other girls.

"Out of the way!" a nurse cried as the uniformed woman rushed past them and into the room. "Call Dr. Morishita!"

A second nurse rushed to the wall, picking up the phone. "Dr. Morishita, it's Saotome."

Tears streamed down the grey haired girl's face. In all the time she'd spent at the hospital she'd only heard that tone of voice used twice before.

Almost as though it were reflexive Akira appeared beside her, the swimmer's strong arms wrapped around the smaller girl in support.

"What's wrong Ako?" Konoka asked.

"We shouldn't be here," Ako replied as she blinked through her tears.

"Hiro?" Ayaka's powerful voice cried out as the tall blond rushed past the door towards the bed. "I'm here Hiro."

Realization hit the other girls, most if not all having been spared from experiencing such a powerful moment before. Though they'd all cried (or joked) at such scenes in the movies or on their favorite shows, the reality was that this moment seemed far less entertaining.

From their vantage point in the hallway they could all see a haggard and wiry Saotome-sensei as he stood beside his son's bed, grasping Hiro's hand. The proud and proper class representative was anything but as she sobbed at the foot of the bed, her fierce rival standing beside her in an uncustomary show of support. The mangaka was almost unrecognizable without the mischievous glint in her bespectacled eyes, though her eyes were glistening as tears ran down her usually grinning cheeks. Even the usually cheerful and energetic Makie looked sullen and unkempt as she wiped away her own tears. Kaede stood tall as she tried to suppress her emotions, though tears threatened to spill over and out of her closed eyes.

Only the flash of white and blue of the doctor's uniform broke the scene as the aforementioned Dr. Morishita rushed into the room. Through the sobs of her peers Ako could distinctly hear his voice as he calmly and clearly proclaimed, "Time of death 11:13am."

* * *

Death, it was a curious thing. Though she knew the technical and clinical definition of the word, the artificial human had never experienced it before. The look on her classmates' faces, their tears – all of it baffled her. The depth of their emotions for this boy they barely knew was confusing.

Conversely the lack of emotion from the deceased boy's sibling and father wasn't as confusing to the gynoid. Clearly they weren't as emotionally invested despite their closer bond, but being male it meant that they weren't as likely to allow their emotions to surface. Regardless of what they might feel they were supposed to remain free of emotions as well as to provide a strong front for the women around them.

"I hate hospitals," her master grumbled as the diminutive vampire gazed at the entrance to the hospital before them. "The blood of the stupid doctors always tastes bland and watered down if there aren't unhealthy amounts of medicine in it."

"What do you hope to accomplish?"

"I simply wish to confirm my suspicions," Evangeline ground out. "I really hate hospitals."

"You shouldn't be here," the vampire's newest partner remarked as she appeared beside them.

"You don't tell me what to do," snapped Eva.

"She's not," a new voice interjected. "She's merely giving you some advice."

Instantly the vampire and gynoid were on the defensive as they turned towards the mysterious man in the shadows.

"No more games," he proclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself.

"Saotome-sensei," the gynoid exclaimed as she offered a formal and polite bow to the teacher.

"You'd reveal yourself to me?" scoffed the bemused vampire. "The death of your boy must have really rattled you."

"It's not like you can do anything in your current condition," replied Ranma. "It'll be the full moon tonight, but right now it's high noon. Even with the little bit of energy you get for the full moon you're far from being at full strength.

"Besides, it's easier for me to just report you and get the Head Master and the administration to come down on you."

It was a rare occasion for Chachamaru as she witnessed her mistress being backed into a corner verbally. The usually sharp tongued vampire tended to be on the other side of things but against Saotome she was at a loss for words.

"I know you're curious about the memory spell," he said, finally addressing the matter at hand. "But you're not to investigate it further. No, I did not have a hand in it, but I am going to ensure that it remains in place."

"Why?" Shinobu exclaimed. "It"

"It affects more than just you, me, and my students," he replied. "But I chose to believe in the person who had it performed on us."

"You're willing to keep someone's secret?" Eva smirked as she tried to find an angle to play.

"Of course," Ranma replied. "That's what I do – I keep secrets."

The vampire eyed the mysterious teacher, catching his subtle hint. "Fine," she relented. "But this isn't over."

"Of course it isn't."

* * *

"Setsuna, Konoka," a familiar, commanding voice called out. Instinctively the young hanyo stiffened, standing at attention before turning to face her master.

"Aoyama-senpai," she replied with a formal bow.

"Auntie," Konoka greeted as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. "What brings you here?"

"Konoka," Motoko returned as she offered her niece a comforting hug. "I'm sorry I didn't call you, but as you can see I came to deal with an urgent matter."

"She's your aunt?" the class reporter asked as she jotted the tidbit down.

"I did not know that you were familiar with the Saotome family," the eloquent woman said as she ignored the other girl's inquire and focused instead on her niece and her student. "I would speak with you about your further instruction in the arts. Please wait until I've concluded my business with Setsuna, Konoka. Then we can catch up."

"Yes Auntie," Konoka replied as she pulled away from the older woman.

With the other girls dismissed Setsuna stood at attention. The silence of the hospital hallway was broken only by the occasional beep from one of the multiple rooms as mechanical devices continued to monitor the well being of the remaining patients. _'I shouldn't have come here,'_ Setsuna thought as she tried to sooth her parched throat by forcing some moisture into her mouth.

"I will be staying with the Saotomes until the funeral," Motoko stated. "But once the service is complete I would speak to you further about your instruction in the arts."

"Yes, ma'am." Though Eishin was her instructor, Setsuna knew better than to ignore a request from the mistress of the entire school.

Motoko nodded, "That is all for now."

* * *

What do you say to someone who just lost a loved one? "I'm sorry for your loss" seems to imply that the speaker understood the bond between the deceased and the survivor(s). But how to emulate or understand the bond between a father and his son when you yourself lack such a bond? Does one have to be a parent to understand the bond between the parent and child, and how the loss of that child could/would devastate the parent? Could someone without such a bond truly understand such a loss?

"You can't hope to understand how he's feeling," Evangeline stated. "No, I'm not reading your mind. It's written on your face."

The pale light of the full moon shone down on the quartet of dark magi as they lounged on the cabin roof. The buxom blonde's predatory eyes needed little light to see virtually every detail for at least a kilometer. Even with her telepathic link to her partner it was painfully obvious what the human was thinking.

"You just want to go hunting," Shinobu countered.

"Doesn't mean that you shouldn't go see him," the vampire sneered. "I'll miss having you as my wing-woman, but I think I'll get by."

"Because all the students are returning to campus and the staff are busy dealing with them." As a student she knew that there were multiple social gatherings, some planned most spontaneous. It was the last weekend before classes commenced this was the last chance many students had of getting together without having to worry about responsibilities and assignments. Even though the sun had set the night was still young.

"Or you could stay here and have me dissect your relationship with your former sensei."

In a flash the platinum blond was on her, her glimmering eyes staring into her soul. Firm hand gripped her shoulders, preventing her from escaping. "I guess I'll have some fun with you tonight."

* * *

Sleep continued to elude the exhausted man as he entered his kitchen. Responsibilities plagued him, demanding his attention even as he tried to process everything going on around him. Secrets needed to be kept, which meant that he had to play his role masterfully to prevent others from suspecting. Unexpected funeral plans needed to be made, transportation of Hiro's remains arranged, and dealing with his students' grief nearly overwhelmed him. A lesser man would have broke. Ranma Saotome was not a lesser man.

Though his mind demanded respite, Ranma Saotome gave into another primal need, his body acting automatically.

"I'm amazed that you're still up," a friendly voice chided him.

"Hm," he replied, his mouth full of rice even as he waited for the water for the instant noodles to boil.

"Ah, yes, you can't sleep on an empty stomach," Motoko teased.

"Um," he nodded.

For a moment the two masters sat in silence on opposite sides of the island, Ranma vigorously ingesting food while Motoko cut some vegetables and meat.

"When were you going to tell me about Shinobu?" the Shinmeiryu master asked.

Ranma shrugged as he added the dehydrated noodles to the boiling water. Grabbing the fruits of the kendoka's labor, he added that to the pot. "What's to tell? She found another master to study under."

"There's something you're not telling me," she prodded.

"Of course," he replied as he watched the boiling water. "She's formed a Pactio or whatever you call them. I can't continue to pass on the secrets of my school if her loyalties are to another school."

Keen, perceptive eyes looked him over, examining every involuntary twitch and movement. "If you were fresh you might be able to fool me," she sighed as she added water to a kettle.

"My right eye?"

She nodded. "That slight twitch of yours."

Ranma nodded as he took the pot off the stove, allowing Motoko to replace it with the kettle. "She seduced me."

Had the kendoka still had the kettle in hand he was sure that she would have dropped it. "Shinobu? Seduced you?"

"I am a man amongst men."

Again she looked at him, unsure if he was merely deflecting or truly being honest with her.

"This was after she'd made her Pactio," he added.

"Evangeline."

Grabbing a pair of chopsticks he tested the firmness of the noodles and vegetables.

Of course she knew about the legendary day-walking vampire. As the head of the Shinmeiryu it was her duty to keep track of all dark creatures, even if they weren't in her territory.

"I've already corralled the runt," Ranma stated as he offered her his noodles. "She's been here since the Thousand Master imprisoned her"

"Trapped in the body of a ten-year old girl," Motoko finished. "But she's still a threat."

"Old man Konoe has her in check," assured the immortal. "I'm just added security."

"But she's made a Pactio"

"And every full moon she gets some of her powers back. I encountered her on one of my first weekends here. She's not nearly as powerful as she thinks she is.

"I'm more concerned about my house guests."

"Lord Saffron and Negi Springfield?" Motoko blinked, finally recognizing the boy's surname.

"The Thousand Master's son." Taking a deep bit of the noodles he savored the taste and texture of the ramen and vegetables.

"Now you're deflecting," she interjected. "Back to Shinobu."

He nodded as he finished the mouthful. "She's not a little girl anymore, trust me. I made it so that she can't talk to her new master about me, well, about my big secrets at least."

Piercing eyes inspected him once again. "She's been corrupted."

Again he nodded, "I think I'm to blame here."

"You're too much of a man for such an impressionable young woman," Motoko sighed. "You're not the only one to blame. I should have talked to her sooner. Naru"

"Has her own life to live," he interjected. "Her path is not Shinobu's, and I doubt Shinobu would have listened to her. She's an adult now, free to make her own choices, even if they're not what we think is right or good."

Straightening her back, Motoko sat up straight. "You're going to have to talk to her."

Hunching over his food he nodded before taking another bite of food.

"Do you care for her?"

Her question caught him off guard just as he was in the act of swallowing. His mouth full of food, he barely managed to keep it from flying out onto the island counter.

"Treed carefully," she advised. "Love, in all of its forms, can be a tricky thing."

* * *

The pale light of the full moon illuminated Mahora, casting the city in a silvery glow as the light haze of the evening reflected the light. It was a breath taking scene, causing even the cyborg to take a moment to pause and savor the beauty of the night. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes, etching the vision in his memory banks.

"You can come out now."

The tall, curvy figure emerged from the shadows. "You noticed me, I'm not surprised."

"You're just a novice compared to my uncle," he stated as he resumed his post. With the full moon he was responsible for Luke. Even with the werewolf in a safe house it was necessary for him to ensure that no one entered the building while Luke was transformed, not only to ensure that his secret remained a secret, but to prevent others from endangering themselves or others by exposing themselves to the lycan. "What brings you here?"

"Thrill seeking," she replied.

His expert eyes noted the slight crook of her knees as they bent. Reflexively he blocked her high kick with his hand, catching her ankle before using her momentum against her and tossing her at the shadow clone before him, instantly dispelling it. "Is that thrilling enough for you?"

A coy smirk answered as she pushed herself off of the ground and sprang at him. "I've been told that the best way to keep from thinking about the present it to keep one occupied with something else."

Again he blocked her attack with his left hand before grabbing hold of her gi and throwing her to the ground. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked again as he straddled her and pinned her to the ground.

"Death," she huffed, "it doesn't seem to bother you."

"Should it?"

"Your brother died," she pointed out. "Do you feel nothing, de gozaru?"

He paused, contemplating even as he kept her from escaping his hold on her. "No." In a sense, it was true. He didn't feel anything. His sensors detected nothing out of the ordinary, but things still didn't make sense.

A gleam appeared in her eyes. "That's what sessha was searching for – to feel nothing when dealing with death."

That didn't make sense at all. "Why?"

"Because of what sessha has become."

Cautiously he let her up. "A ninja."

She nodded. "A kunoichi," she corrected. "To not fear death nor to be affected by it when faced with it, de gozaru."

"It is not that I do not fear death," he replied. "Perhaps I just do not understand death sufficiently. But what I do know is that everyone is affected by death even if they don't show it. Even I…"

She raised her eyes at him curiously.

"Perhaps I lack the ability to properly understand and articulate what I feel," he finally admitted. "While I do not fear death, I know that it is not something that I want to be accustomed to dealing with.

"You wish to master death in that you wish to no longer be afraid of death, correct? Because ninja face death on every mission – either their own or their enemies."

Anger flashed in her eyes as she listened, unable to respond either physically or verbally.

"I do not envy you," he stated. "I'm sure that you've already heard that the path of a ninja is perilous, and many sacrifices must be made if you're to be successful as a ninja."

"You speak like a machine, de gozaru," Kaede sniped. "Your words lack emotion and understanding."

Tenma paused. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that, though usually it was Luke who teasing him. The moment's delay was all the kunoichi needed to slip out of his hold. Long, powerful legs swept his feet out from under him.

"Sessha was right, you are interesting," the ninja ceded before slipping into the shadows.

* * *

There were many times in Asuna's short life where she'd been at a loss for words. As one of the Baka Rangers of 2-A words were her kryptonite. Of the two it was Ayaka who was articulate and masterful with her words, often throwing them in Asuna's face and prompting them to brawl back in the day when they were fierce rivals. It was one thing for Asuna to be at a loss for words, but for Ayaka, well, that was another matter altogether.

Once, many years ago, Asuna had been forced to rely on her physical skills to keep Ayaka from focusing too much on the loss of her still-born baby brother. His death had been the start of their rivalry, peaking every year at around the anniversary of his death. Things had cooled down over the past term and summer break once both of them had been accepted into Master Saotome's dojo and the sudden arrival of the youthful looking Hiro Saotome.

Unfortunately things had apparently been too good as his sudden death had rocked not only Ayaka, but the other girls who had come to know the quick witted yet somber boy. It was one thing for a young and emotionally immature Ayaka to deal with her brother's death, but for the teenage girls who had formed a strong bond with the youngest Saotome sibling it was another thing altogether.

The usually fiery redhead didn't know what to say or do. They'd cried together, sat in the onsen together in silence, laid in bed sleeplessly tossing and turning as they tried to come to grips with their loss. Yet all their tears failed to bring them the much needed closure.

The early morning train out to Hinata from Mahora barely bothered the tired girls, though from the look of things they weren't the only ones to endure a sleepless night. Ranma, Tenma, and Luke each appeared as though they had barely slept the previous night, though at least the three of them had cleaned up well.

Asuna was torn between the friends who had for so long been there for her and the boy that she couldn't stop thinking of. Then again, she didn't know what to say to either of them. What did you say to someone who'd lost their brother? As an orphan she'd never had that of bond before… what did it mean to be a sister or brother? To want to have someone to look out for and who looked up to you?

Unable to comprehend the bond and the loss of such a bond, Asuna reflexively began to massage her forehead.

"Something bothering you?" Ayaka ventured to ask.

"Huh?"

"Whenever you're stressed about something you always start to rub your forehead like that," the taller girl stated.

"Sorry, I didn't realize…"

"We never do." Her former rival smiled weakly. In the glow of the morning the shorter girl could see the results of Ayaka's crying. Yet behind the red swollen eyes a slight gleam could be seen in her blue eyes.

"You look better." It was the truth, though given the circumstances could have been a lie just to placate.

"Thanks."

"You do look better," Asuna repeated. "Like you've gotten cried everything out."

Leaning back in her seat, Ayaka smiled again. "I think you're right." Glancing at Asuna she then turned her gaze at Tenma. "I'm fine now," she stated. "I'm just sorry that we didn't have a chance to get to know him better."

Asuna nodded, unsure what to say.

"Thanks," Ayaka added. "You were there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and when I needed someone to kick my ass."

Asuna smiled as she recalled the start of their rivalry.

"Go," Ayaka suggested.

Following her friend's eyes to Tenma Asuna blushed.

"Go."

* * *

Few things say so much about a person as their funeral. For the girls of 2-A the short service was a stark reminder that they barely knew Hiro Saotome. In truth the funeral said more about their master than of his late son. The strange monk had kept things short and to the point, giving those gathered just the minimum time needed to pay their respects.

While the service had been quick, a fair number of people had attended. Though a few were faces most belonged to people they had encountered in Mahora or at the restaurant, a handful were new.

"You must be Ranma's students," a muscular man exclaimed.

Stepping out from the group, Tenma offered the man and his wife a formal bow. "Master Hibiki."

"It's good to see you Tenma," the elegant woman by the man's side greeted.

"Lady Tsuruko," the cyborg returned. "Please, allow me to introduce you to Father's students."

"No need," Master Hibiki said with a grin. "I already know Kaede Nagase" he inclined his head at the tall kunoichi "Haruna Saotome" the brunette beamed "Setsuna Sakurazaki" the pale girl almost blushed "Ayaka Yukihiro" the elegant blond smiled faintly "Makie Sasaki" the petite girl did blush "Asuna Kagurazaka" the redhead nodded "and Luke Scwantez" the blond boy nodded. "I've already met Saffron."

Though most of them had worked at the restaurant, none of them save for Setsuna and Haruna had met the man, leaving them slightly puzzled by the formal yet rugged man before them. "I am Ryoga Hibiki," he finally said.

"The Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū," Haruna explained.

Awed, the others suddenly bowed their heads out of respect.

"This is Lady Tsuruko," Ryoga added, "my wife and the former head of the Shinmeiryu."

The pale girl was glad to have her makeup on as it hid her blush. The reminder that even her former master was tied to the upstart school stung the proud kendoka.

"I realize that the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū has not had the long, illustrious history of the Shinmeiryu, I have come to realize that even we can learn something new," the elegant woman stated with a tender smile. "Setsuna" the pale girl stepped forward "I believe that you could learn much from studying and training with Master Saotome, just as Motoko had in her time."

"And you will not be the only one," Motoko added as she stepped towards the group. "This is Ryoko Mitsurugi and Akira Toya, they will also be joining you at Mahora as well as in Master Saotome's dojo."

* * *

"Dying sucks."

Ranma spared his companion a sideways glance.

"I'm fortunate enough to not remember much from my previous lives," Saffron explained. "But there are some nights that I wake up and I recall how I last died."

Ranma blinked. This wasn't what he'd expected, not at all. "Wait a second, I killed you last time."

The foreign prince nodded. "It's particularly gruesome, but I only lose a little sleep here and there.

"In all my lives, I've learned not to get too close to anyone, simply because I don't want to have to bury them. Compared to the nightmares, burying someone usually is much harder."

He had to admit, he really liked this Saffron better than the one he'd had to kill. "Thanks, I think."

* * *

A/N

Funerals are hard to write. Not everyone grieves the same way, and it's a process that takes varying amounts of time for everyone.

Things are definitely going to be tricky for everyone.

Next chapter – the new term starts. 2-A gets their newest classmate and their new teacher.

Dreamingfox


	35. Chapter 35

Author's Notes –

Yes, there are more characters involved in this fic, but the story is going to focus more on Ranma and how he's dealing with things now. Death is hard for everyone, but when a parent buries a child it's, well, unnatural. Considering Ranma's current curse, it's just going to be compounded.

Superbowl is blah… I'm rooting for Brady and the Pats, but I would have preferred it to be Rodgers vs Brady rather than Brady vs Baby Manning II.

Otherwise, nothing to say.

* * *

The late summer morning found Mahora teaming with life as the city and academy resumed their normal routines. Many of the shops that had been closed over the summer break were now opened, some with new signs, tables, or patios, some with special welcoming the students back from their break. All of it was a reminder that life went on.

"You already know Asuna, Ayaka, Makie, Setsuna, Kaede, Haruna, and Makie, not to mention some of the other girls that you met over the summer, that'll make it a bit easier," Ranma stated as he jogged towards the campus. "They'll be shocked to know that you're their new teacher, but they'll get used to it. Ayaka's the Class Rep which means that most of the other girls listen to her. Haruna can be a bit of a troublemaker, but she's generally good natured and just being playful. Everything else should be in the book that Takahata gave you."

The young boy beside him nodded. The serious look on the youth's face told the immortal that Negi was determined to make a good impression.

"Ready?" he asked as they reached the Girls' Junior High building.

Again Negi nodded.

"We just have to get Ryoko and bring her to your class."

His determination broken, Negi looked up at him.

"She's a new student, and you're a new teacher, so I have to help break both of you in," he explained. "Takahata's already got his own class to take care of, so he couldn't make it, and as I don't have a class of my own, and these girls already know me I've been asked to formally introduce you to 2-A.

"We'll be alternating English classes, P.E., and Study Hall for the term as well, though if you need help I'm sure that I can sit in on your classes for the first week."

Glancing around, Ranma made sure that no one would overhear them. "And remember, if any of your girls discover that you're a mage" he drew an ugly rat on the ground with his foot.

Negi gulped. He'd heard that the transfiguration process was painful, but to live the rest of his life as an ermine… that was simply unacceptable.

"Sensei," Ryoko called out to them.

"Ryoko," Ranma returned.

"Mitsurugi," Negi greeted.

"You're late," the kendoka stated. "Isn't this Punctuality Week?"

"It is," Ranma replied. "But we had to clear some things up with the Dean."

The three of them entered the building, making their way towards class 2-A. The electronic chime greeted them just as they passed 2-B. Though he was in a rush, Ranma spotted the end of the eraser. Unsure if the others had seen it he opted to let Negi fend for himself. Even with all the information he'd relayed to the boy about 2-A it was best that Negi learn a few things first hand.

* * *

There were fewer things that Evangeline hated as much as school. She'd hated school before she'd gained immortality, but now it was worse. It didn't help that she knew everything that they were trying to teach. As a centuries old immortal she'd experienced modern history from the colonization of Asia and the Americas, to the Industrial Revolution, to the Renaissance, the Crusades, both World Wars, and the Cold War – even the shit that they passed for history (which really was written by the winners) – she knew all of it. The fact that she was stuck in junior high (repeating it for the third time actually) didn't help either as the subjects weren't challenging in the least.

Only the language classes provided her with any challenge. Her first time through had been more difficult as she'd been forced to learn Japanese. The second time around she'd challenged herself with Russian, Latin, and German, and the third time around she'd challenged herself with Chinese and English. Though the last was based off of Latin, it was far harder than any of the other language as it borrowed so much from several other languages (primarily Germanic and Latin) as well as creating some insane rules and borrowing words from other languages and trying to make them English. How else could one get 'wind' and 'wind' two completely different words despite the same spelling. Yes, English was a challenge. Unfortunately she was only going to be challenged by the junior high level English classes and not the higher level courses that were offered to the high school or college students.

Word of a change in her homeroom teacher for 2-A had reached her ears, perking her interest. In her two previous trips through junior high she'd been saddled with Takahata. As the most accomplished mage in Mahora not named Konoe, he was of course the most logical person to watch over her. Given the recent events she'd expected Saotome to become her new Homeroom teacher. Though a bit green, he did have a term of teaching under his belt and as a mage he was clearly just as competent as Takahata.

Sitting back in her chair, she watched as the Natsumi twins set up their trap. The eraser was supposed to be obvious, meant to lull the new teacher into a sense of false security. The trip-wire was the true trap – tripping the new teacher and triggering the handful of Nerf guns.

'_Saotome would never fall for this,'_ she surmised. _'He's supposedly training Kaede, and she's the one who trained the twins. He'd never fall for this.'_

"You seem anxious," her partner stated.

Sparing the gynoid a glance, Evangeline sat back. _'Saotome has proven to be much more of a threat than I anticipated. As our new Homeroom teacher he'll be in a position to constantly watch over me.'_

"Are you curious about our new Homeroom teacher?" Chachamaru asked.

"Only to see if he's foolish enough to fall for something like this."

It didn't take long for the twins finish setting their trap, leaving the rest of the class to sit and wait for their new homeroom teacher. With the chime about to announce the start of class all the girls scurried to their seats, all eyes on the door as they eagerly awaited their new teacher.

8 o'clock came, the electronic chime sounding, but the door remained closed. Curious and questioning looks were shot from virtually every girl as they collectively sought an answer. Teachers were supposed to be punctual, setting a prime example for their students. For their new homeroom teacher to be late on the first day of the term was unthinkable.

"I think I hear someone talking in the hallway," Chachamaru reported, drawing the girls' attention to the door once again.

"Sorry," an unrecognizable voice apologized as the speaker opened the door.

Thirty pairs of eyes watched as the eraser fell. A white cloud of chalk surrounded the boy's head before he suddenly tripped. Rolling forward he was immediately hit with a barrage of Nerf darts, though a good half of them hit the wall and floor as the twins had rigged the trap for an adult.

It took the vampire a moment to realize that the figure before them was a boy and not the adult they'd all expected. Immediately she glanced at the open door, fully expecting that the second figure was their new teacher. _'This is how he plays – he sent a decoy in first to make the girls feel bad about victimizing a kid. Clever.'_

The busty redheaded girl definitely wasn't Ranma Saotome. She wasn't even dressed like a teacher.

"Ryoko?"

Eva twisted her head, her eyes drawn to the pale kendoka, following her eyes to the busty redhead standing beside Saotome.

"Sakurazaki," the new girl returned as she surveyed the area around the door.

The class was torn. Some rushed to aid the boy, plucking the darts off of him; others rushed to clean up the mess/evidence; and the rest eyed Setsuna.

"You know her?" the ever inquisitive Kazumi asked.

"We trained together," Setsuna replied.

"You mean we train together now," the girl known as Ryoko corrected.

"You're the new girl," Konoka interjected. "The one without a roommate at the end of the hall, you moved in over the weekend."

The redhead nodded.

"She already train with Master Saotome?" Ku Fei asked.

Again Ryoko nodded before cautiously entering the room.

"Then who's he, your little brother?" Kazumi asked as she eyed the boy still on the floor.

"I'm, um, Negi Springfield," the boy replied with broken Japanese. "I'm your new Homeroom and English teacher."

* * *

Life goes on.

Everything that he saw was a reminder of that fact. Everyday presented new struggles, lessons and memories. Ultimately each and every single moment, each decision and choice brought him to this very place at this particular time. Everything happened for a reason.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious as he approached the door before him. Taking a deep, calming breath, he pulled the door open even as he stepped through. The falling eraser caught him completely off guard, creating a cloud of chalk dust around his head. Unprepared and disoriented, his short legs failed to avoid the tripwire, sending him tumbling into the room before being assaulted by foam darts.

It really wasn't the best way for him to make a positive impression on his new charges, but it definitely left an impression.

* * *

Bodies at rest stay at rest, bodies in motion stay in motion. For Ranma Saotome the latter part of the statement best described him. Movement was easy, it allowed him to focus on the world around him and what needed to be done. Moping around, mourning for Hiro wouldn't benefit anyone, certainly not him.

Thus he was surprised when his students were startled to discover that they had evening practices still, just a few days removed from Hiro's funeral. Yes, they had just had their first day of classes for the new term, but that was an insufficient reason for them to cancel their daily training and sparring sessions. The late evening session had to be pushed back, allowing the students to attend their respective clubs' inaugural meetings for the term.

It helped that he had four new students, though technically Kaede wasn't a student, just someone who trained with him during the week before sending her off to Konatsu's for the weekend. Unfortunately the other three 'new' students were all Shinmeiryu trained, meaning they had learned to use and fight with a sword. He'd definitely have to break their habits.

"Alright, everyone in line," he barked out as the last of his students rushed into the dojo. Walking down the line he eyed everyone before finally assuming his position before all of them. "I wanna see what you've all learned under Master Hibiki – free sparring outside." Stepping aside he waited for them to rush out of the dojo and into the yard. "Begin once I'm outside."

Luke was the first outside, his long, powerful legs carrying him out into the waning sunlight.

Kaede was next, though the kunoichi vanished the moment everyone else started their mad dash for the door.

Makie was the first to go for a weapon, her complement of tools now hanging on the wall along with every other weapon that Ranma had managed to collect in his years of fighting. It didn't surprise him that Ryoko followed suit, grabbing a bokken, though Akira took a moment to eye the wall before opting to forego the use of weapons. Setsuna grabbed her own bokken before dashing out of the door.

He watched as Ayaka stopped in the middle of the yard, giving herself plenty of distance between her closest peers even as she eyed them. Everyone else jockeyed for position, claiming similar spots throughout the sloped ground and bamboo foliage. Only Akira and Makie took positions in the field of bamboo poles, perching themselves above the others.

"Eliminate your opponent by knocking them into a pool," he instructed. "Begin!"

He'd expected Ayaka and Asuna to be the first to close, but seeing the tall blond charging the busty kendoka wasn't completely unexpected. As the presumed alpha of 2-A it fell on her to test the newest member of 2-A. Though unarmed, Ayaka had some experience dealing with armed opponents. Standing a full head taller than her opponent, the class rep grabbed a handful of dirt and gravel before closing with Ryoko. Flinging the tiny stones, she tested her opponent's hand and eye coordination, carefully testing the other girl's abilities.

As the number two male, Luke opted to test Akira seeing as Tenma opted to simply wait for someone to close with him. Leaping onto a bamboo pole the taller boy gracefully navigated the field, his long limbs making short work of the randomly place poles.

A yelp from the astonished Asuna told him that Kaede had struck as she finally revealed herself. Stealth and cunning pitted against sheer stubbornness as the two began exchanging blows. Kaede had the advantage of reach, speed, and experience, but Asuna had the edge in durability. Avoiding the first volley, Asuna took two punches to the ribs and stomach before Kaede pulled back, unwilling to move into her opponent's range. Slowly the kunoichi lured her opponent into the bamboo grove, using the fiery girl's temperament against her as she landed several light punches in each exchange before retreating.

For five agonizing minutes Ranma watched as his students tentatively tested each other. Ranma Saotome was a man of action and motion. Simply watching them sparring wasn't enough. The best way to gage their ability was to test them directly. Sure, watching how they fought against others provided him with different insights and perspectives on their abilities, but it wasn't until they fought the best that they brought out their best.

Luke was the first to notice, and the first to fall as Akira took advantage of his momentary lapse, tripping the taller boy and sending him sprawling into one of the many pools of water beneath the bamboo shoots.

Rushing at Haruna as she held her ground against Setsuna, Ranma swept his niece's feet out from under her with a spinning leg sweep. Grabbing hold of her shoulders he tossed her through the air towards a nearby pool.

Ducking under a wicked slash, Ranma was glad that Setsuna was using only a bokken. Though he couldn't see the mana she unleashed, he could feel it manifest in the pressurized air of her attack. _'She's almost as good as Motoko was when I met her,'_ he mused. "Let's see how good you are without your bokken!"

Catching the tip of her weapon with his right, he countered with a palm-strike to her sternum. Standing tall she appeared to absorb the force of the blow, but not the ki that he'd infused her with that disrupted the mana she'd used to fortify her body. Ki and mana, both were fundamental aspects of martial arts and magic respectively, though few understood that they could be used for the same purpose. Most assumed that they would cancel out; few knew that the stronger of the two prevailed. Even fewer knew that the two could be combined. Unfortunately most could not endure having both mixed. Clearly Setsuna fell into that camp.

Only Haruna's surprise attack kept him from capitalizing against the stunned half-hanyo as his niece recovered and countered his previous attack. Sidestepping Haruna's sneak attack he smirked, _'She's learning.'_ The shaking bamboo shoot was all he needed to know how she'd avoided the pool and covered the distance in such a small amount of time.

Pretending to focus on the golem before him he deftly avoided its attack.

'_There you are!'_ A quick spinning back elbow connected with Haruna's stomach, knocking the wind out of her and dispelling the golem/clone. Bringing his hand up he grabbed hold of her gi before wrenching her off of her feet towards yet another pool of water.

He couldn't help but marvel at his niece's abilities. Though she would never match her parents' physical, the girl would become a masterful ki mage. Her mental aptitude combined with her powerful ki reserves would see to that. All she needed was to hone her body to best take advantage of her body's ability to channel and produce ki.

In that regard Haruna and Setsuna were opposites. The kendoka's hanyo blood meant that she used mana, yet she used it best in martial arts and just dabbled in magic as a magical swordswoman. Opposite power sources for opposing styles.

Focusing his ki into his hand, Ranma turned his attention to the still incapacitated kendoka. The look in her eyes told him that she was surprised by what he could do. It was one thing to enhance oneself with ki or mana, another to infuse either into someone else, but to physically manifest ki, well, few ever made it to that level.

The normally pale blue light appeared slightly greenish, giving Ranma a slight cause for concern. Flicking his finger, he launched the tiny ball at the startled hanyo, hitting her dead center and blasting her off of her feet and into a nearby pool.

"Two down," he proclaimed as he turned to face the rest of his students. "Well, three," he amended as Luke pulled himself out of the water.

It came as no surprise that Makie was the next to face him as the tiny gymnast stood alone atop the bamboo poles. Months of training under him had bolstered her confidence, but seeing him leap atop of the bamboo poles the gymnast felt her confidence deflate. Though she was best as a midrange fighter, everyone knew that up close she was limited. Still, she held her ground unflinchingly, exchanging her favored ribbon for clubs.

"Ready?" he asked.

A firm nod was all the answer he needed as the lithe girl struck with her clubs. A blinding barrage forced him to retreat to another pole. 'Her hand speed is good, but she's no match for Kodachi.'

Dancing around her attacks, he slowly got a feel for her effective range and speed. As an aerial specialist it was pointless to just throw her in hopes of landing her in a pool. Though each bamboo pole stood in a pool Ranma knew that it'd take much more than knocking her off her feet to get her to land the water.

Smirking, he allowed her to continue her attacks, luring her into a false sense of security as he set her up. Landing atop a long, limber shoot, he waited for her to give chase. Instead of leaping back he instead leaned back, shifting his weight so as to force the still live plant to gently bend, giving him just enough room to avoid her barrage. Wrapping his arms around her he hugged her to him even as they continued to descend. At the last moment he released his hold on the shoot, accelerating their fall. Spinning, he deposited her in a pool even as he landed on the firm ground.

"No fair!" Makie pouted as she emerged from the pool.

His victory was short lived though as Akira and Tenma charged at him. Springing back into the foliage above, he eyed the two boys. The resemblance was uncanny. Both stood just as tall as he was, with raven black hair (Tenma's flowed freely while Akira's well groomed locks just kept out of his way), striking blue eyes, and lean builds, they could almost be mistaken for twins if not siblings.

But the similarities ended there as Tenma's raw power was nearly a match for Ranma's while Akira used his flexibility and nimbleness to seek out any potential holes in the elder Saotome's defenses. Both moved like the wind as they pressed him, attacking from opposite sides to stretch his defenses and divide his focus.

Seeing the trees/shoots shaking behind him, Ranma led the boys on.

'_They're learning,'_ he mused as the pair began to coordinate their attacks. Rather than both of them attacking simultaneously one would engage, forcing him to either evade or counter, allowing the other to react to any possible openings or to attack where they though he'd retreat to. It was a clever ploy but against someone of his level they were years away from being successful with it.

Leaping away from Tenma's fierce roundhouse, Ranma feigned leaping onto a short tree. Lifting his feet just enough to avoid landing on the shoot, he instead dropped to the ground, avoiding Akira's punch. Reaching out he grabbed hold of the shoot, preventing Tenma from landing on it. With no other plants within reach Tenma prepared himself to land with one foot on another shoot and the other on the ground, narrowly avoiding falling into a pool.

It was a good plan, but one that failed to consider what Ranma was about to do as he released the bamboo shoot in his hand. Though the blow as insignificant, it was enough to disrupt the cyborg's landing. Tripped up by the plant, Tenma tumbled to the ground, landing hard on his shoulder.

Springing off of another shoot, Ranma delivered a powerful kick that sent the cyborg crashing into another bamboo shoot, the same one that Akira had just landed. The resulting collision was better than Ranma had expected as both boys crashed into the water.

"Impressive."

His reflexes prompted him to jump just a fraction of a second before the polished and hardened wooden blade descended on him.

"Master Hibiki warned us that you were - what did he say?"

"'An elusive bastard'," Akira finished as he stood up and shook off the access water.

"You don't know the half of it," Ayaka remarked as she leapt into the air. Grabbing a hold of a shoot she spun around, delivering a hard double kick.

With a simple twist he avoided the attack, flipping over the buxom blond.

"You think that the two of you can do what they couldn't?" he teased the girls.

"Four of us," Asuna cried out as she sprang off of a shoot and aimed a fierce jump kick at him.

Still twisting, Ranma extended his arm, throwing off his flight path by shifting his center of gravity and by adding air resistance. With his other hand he batted aside her kick, before grabbing her ankle and spinning around her so that she now was between him and Ayaka. The former rivals collided in mid-air. Only by twisting in the air did Ayaka managed to land on her feet, holding the shorter Asuna in her arms as she did so.

Accepting their challenge, Ranma landed in the midst of the girls, allowing them to believe that they had him cornered. Spinning to the side he avoided Kaede's axe kick as she descended from the foliage above. An elbow to her kidneys sent her flying towards Ayaka, forcing the class rep to pull back. Moving to his left towards the closest pool of water caused the other girls to hesitate as they'd anticipated the exact opposite, giving him the time he needed to slip out of their range.

With their time as rivals and then as comrades in arms, Ayaka and Asuna showed the most and best teamwork, forcing him to throw them off by using one of the other girls as a shield or obstacle. The uneven ground and bamboo plants kept Ryoko at bay as they limited her striking ability and bokken, leaving just Kaede as the greatest threat as she slipped into the shadows and waited patiently for an opening.

Ranma smirked as he eyed the three girls before him. "We've all got secrets."

His proclamation forced the girls to pause. Beyond them the others watched from a safe distance, some of them wringing out their soaked clothes. Before any of the girls could react, four glowing balls of energy slammed into them, knocking each of them into a pool of water.

"Wh-what was that?"

"Wooh!"

"I know that some of you are new to me, but I know that all of you have been exposed to magic and the magical world," he stated as he stood before all of them.

"That was a magical attack?" Haruna exclaimed.

The immortal shook his head. "That was a ki attack."

"Ki?" Ayaka gasped as Luke helped her out of the pool. "Are you going to teach us to physically manifest ki into an attack?"

"Perhaps," he shrugged. "But not all of you are ki users."

The bewildered looks on his students faces was predictable. Though they knew of ki and mana, they still didn't understand the difference. "Ki and mana are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Both can be used to enhance your body, but how they do it is different. As opposites they also tend to negate each other.

"Setsuna, you're a mana user, but you've learned to use mana instead of ki in your martial arts. Haruna's the opposite – she's a ki user but uses it to power her spells. People like the two of you are unusual, but with the right training and a bit of stubbornness, well, it's possible.

"I'm going to teach you what I know about ki and mana and how best to use either one to improve yourself."

As the others helped the remaining girls out of the water he appraised each of them.

"The world you live in is far larger and mysterious than you think you know," he stated he stood before them. "There are many things that I can't tell you, and I'm sure that someday you'll have things that you can't tell me. There are secrets that I can't share with you because of who they involve and thus not mine to share. I ask that you trust in my decision about keeping them, as I trust all of you in keeping and maintaining the secrets that you hold as well."

"You've finally reached the point where you're all capable of taking the next step," Ranma finally said. "Though you all must continue to hone your physical skills and master your growing bodies, I will help you take that next step so that you can each use either mana or ki. Once you've mastered enhancing your bodies I'll teach you some of the secret techniques that our school has acquired. Please do not share these techniques with anyone and do not use them lightly."

"Secret techniques?" Haruna squealed.

"Techniques and styles," Ranma added; a slight smile on his lips. "I regret that I could not pass these onto Hiro, but I'm sure that each of you will find these techniques useful.

"Now, go, clean up."

* * *

In the time that she'd studied under Tenma and Ranma, Asuna couldn't help but notice how different her sensei was. In class he was the playful and articulate speaker, but in the dojo he barked orders and instructions. Today though; he was exceptionally short as he tried to explain the intricacies of ki and mana.

"It's not something I can explain to you," he finally said as he took her hand. "Close your eyes and just feel."

Doing as instructed, she closed her eyes.

"Tenma, you're good at reading other people's ki, why don't you work with Asuna," Master Saotome suggested.

Asuna was glad that her eyes were closed, though she could feel her face warming as blood flowed to her head. A slight tingling sensation ran up her hand and arm as he took her hand into his.

"Do you feel it?" though their voices were so similar she could tell that it was Tenma speaking to her.

"Yes," she replied breathlessly. She could only hope that his eye were either closed or focused on anything but her face.

"Do you feel it running up your arm, through your muscles, your ligements, tendons, bones, and blood?"

'_I feel something alright,_' she thought as she focused on his hand in hers.

"Good job Setsuna," Ranma's voice proclaimed. "I knew you had it in you. You're probably the most aware of your inner energy."

"Thank you sensei."

Though Ranma rarely gave out any praise, Asuna couldn't help but feel that she'd rather hold hands with Tenma then receive any praise and acknowledgment from her sensei.

* * *

The familiar feel of his muscles aching only to be relieved by the soothing warm waters of the onsen was a balm to Ranma Saotome. With the hectic schedule of the previous days he'd been unable to get a proper work out. True, the sparing session with kids hadn't been much of a work out, but the intense session with Saffron after he'd excused the others had been nice. The combination of raw power and physical skill made this Saffron much more of a threat than the previous one. Add in the fact that he didn't have full control of his powers and the prince was truly unpredictable.

Still, he was glad that the others had left. The first day of each term was always busy. For his three children it meant that the other clubs were trying to recruit them to supplement their numbers. It didn't help that the word of them had already spread to the various martial arts clubs or teams. Though the national competitions were already done, the teams were still looking to improve themselves either by recruiting transfers or by changing their training methods.

Both Ryoko and Akira had full transcripts while Tenma's was obviously made up. The latter had been based off of Ranma's transcripts – traveling and learning abroad, just as Hiro's had been. Akira and Ryoko had both participated in their respective schools' teams, the former in Judo, Karate, and Kendo, the latter in Ju Jitsu and Kendo. As such both had encountered their Mahora counterparts at the national tournaments over the summer break, resulting in their heavy recruitment by those squads.

That left just Tenma.

"Father."

"Tenma," he returned as he glanced up at the hazy figure.

"I believe now is the best time to discuss what happened the other day."

'Straight to the point,' Ranma nodded. "What do you want to know?"

"I understand why you kept us from speaking of it in the open, but why have you not followed up on the matter? Are you not curious as to what memories were altered or erased?"

"Curious, no," he replied curtly. "I already know what happened and why."

"How?"

"Mana and Ki generally don't mix," Ranma stated. "I'm a ki mage."

"Your ki overpowered the mana used in the spell."

"No," the immortal shook his head. "I've a contract with the demon who performed the spell. There's a sub-clause in the contract that limits him when he performs magic on me unless I request it. Even though he is only the facilitator of Hiro's contract, the effects of his spell on me were temporary."

"So you know"

"You and Luke are unaffected by the spell," Ranma stated. Unsure how to articulate things without giving away too much information, he eyed his eldest son. "Activate protocol thirteen."

"Activating protocol thirteen," Tenma repeated. "It's that serious?"

The immortal nodded. "If the administration knew what happened they'd come down on all of us. Demon contracts aren't to be taken lightly. Old man Konoe may turn a blind eye to mine, but if word got out to the others, well, they may not be able to do anything directly, but it would burden the beneficiary."

"I do not understand. Who benefited from the contract? Hiro is dead, what would he benefit from dying?"

"He doesn't," Ranma explained. "He sacrificed himself for someone else, someone who had cancer."

"Because even magic can't cure cancer, only transfer it."

"Most who transfer it shift it to someone who they feel deserves it, or if they're vengeful, to someone they hate. The memory spell was to protect the beneficiary."

"Narusegawa…" the cyborg muttered.

"Let her be happy," Ranma ordered. "If she were to know what he did for her…" _'or what she'd said…'_

"She would be devastated," Tenma finished.

The immortal nodded, swallowing the bile in his throat. He really didn't want to remember what she'd said to him, even if it was said in a moment of weakness and despair.

For a moment Tenma's blue eyes glowed red as he accessed his memory. "What I do not understand is why they had their memories erased, what purpose does it serve?"

"They were following him, it's possible that they discovered what he was about to do, forcing him to have their memories altered."

"And the girls? When will you tell them?"

"For now, they' don't need to know," he asserted. "They have too much to worry about already. Besides, their emotions are too raw right now. I doubt that they'd take it lightly that Hiro manipulated them into fighting Shinobu."

"What of Shinobu?" the cyborg asked at her mention.

"Her master won't break the spell, even if she could," he assured the cyborg. "With Shinobu converting her ki into mana I doubt that she'll be able to break it either."

"Does she not deserve to know the truth?"

Ranma shook his head. "That her onetime rival and the woman she sought to emulate and replace has cancer? No, it's no longer relevant."

It was Tenma's turn to shake his head, "That Hiro manipulated the others into fighting her."

He paused to reflect on his son's rational. "Perhaps…"

* * *

A/N

I'll leave things here for now.

Yes, I'm tying into things that have happened before but not resolved. Not everything resolves in the same story arch or chapter.

Dreamingfox


	36. Chapter 36

Author's Notes –

Yeah, it's been a while since I've updated, much less written anything. So much going on and all, but that happens.

Yes, this current extended arch will deal with the Negima timeline, but don't expect Ranma to get too involved in Negi's business.

* * *

Time stops for no one. That was one fact that Ranma Saotome had learned during his self-imposed exile nearly half a decade ago. Even an immortal like him could not stop the passage of time, only try to ignore it.

Though he'd tried to ignore death was an inescapable aspect of life that he couldn't ignore. He'd previously tried to forget about it, but even after a decade on the mountain he'd barely gotten over the death of his parents, fiancée, and her family. Hiro's death was simply salt being rubbed into his still recovering wound.

"It gets better over time."

Not in the mood to be lectured, Ranma did his best to try and ignore the well dressed man in his kitchen as he focused on the food before him. Razor sharp knives flashed in the air, cutting through a basket of freshly picked vegetables.

"Impressive," his uninvited guest remarked. "I bet it's going to taste wonderful."

"Isn't it always?" the immortal retorted, offended at the insinuation that anything he did was less then exceptional.

"I knew you couldn't ignore me forever," the well dressed demon smirked.

"Hiro didn't know, did he?" he finally asked, as he set his knives down.

The grey haired demon shook his head, "No, he didn't."

"And the contractor?"

"He suspects, but doesn't care," Graf replied.

"You didn't come here just for small talk," the immortal stated. Wiping down the knives he stood across from the demon. "And I doubt that you're here just to rub things in."

"I did not enjoy facilitating that deal," the demon replied.

"Are you asking for forgiveness?"

Again Graf shook his head. "From now on, we're going to be on opposite sides of things. I've been sent here to insist that you stay out of our way."

"'Our way'?" the immortal repeated.

"My new employer, and the owner of Hiro's soul," Graf clarified. "My inability to properly influence you with magic limits my effectiveness in the group. I figured that I would make up for that by trying to negotiate your impartialness."

Turning away from the demon Ranma placed his wok on the stove. "That depends on who it involves."

* * *

Delicate fingers danced along the rim of her goblet, the warm blood inside slowly cooling as the pale girl lounged in her cabin.

"Mistress, is something bothering you?" her partner's voice rang in her ears.

An annoyed scowl appeared on the tiny vampire's face as she sent the goblet and its contents crashing into the wall.

"You are displeased with your dinner," the gynoid stated as she assumed the worst.

"It's Springfield," her newest partner concluded.

"Our new homeroom teacher?" the artificial human asked.

"It's before your time," her oldest partner explained. "I'm surprised that you know of him."

The tiny puppet turned to glance at the buxom blunette.

"I did my research," Shinobu explained. "Before I agreed to become your partner, I did my research. Nagi Springfield, the infamous Thousand Master, rumored to have defeated Evangeline MacDowell. He's the reason why you're trapped here, right?"

Tiny eyes glared at the tall young woman, daring her to say more.

"With the Thousand Master having vanished almost ten years ago rumor has it that he's passed," the blunette added. "But with an heir it's possible that Master could use his blood to break the spell he has on her."

"Death comes to everyone, even the infamous like the Thousand Master," Eva scowled. "His brat coming here saves me from having to find an alternative to breaking the spell. I never thought that he'd die though.

"The brat's probably too young to have known his old man, and he's probably just graduated from the Academy, so he's easy pickings."

"He's staying with Ranma," Shinobu interjected.

"What?" Irked by that tidbit, Evangeline glared at the blunette. "Why the hell did you not tell us about this sooner?"

"Part of the conditions that you agreed to," a new voice interjected.

Four sets of eyes turned to the newcomer, each alarmed at his sudden appearance. The shimmering, pale visage was clearly an illusion, a mere projection sent by the master illusionist.

"Of course I sealed away all the secrets of my household and school before I allowed her to leave."

She should have felt indignant, yet Shinobu couldn't help but feel flustered at his admission. _'When did he do that?'_

"So now you're undoing the seal?" Eva sneered.

"Not everything," the phantasm ceded. "I'm allowing her to tell you what you need to know when it's appropriate."

"You've been using her to spy on me," the vampire deducted.

"I won't go that far, after all, it would impede what you teach her, and that's what she's here for, to learn from you. But I can use her as a medium for us to communicate. Check her yourself - there are no other spells or enchantments on her, at least not mine."

"Hold out your hand," Eva ordered.

Acquiescing, Shinobu did as her master commanded allowing the tiny vampire to sink her teeth into her wrist.

Taking the time to taste her partner's blood and test it for any other lingering magic, Eva pulled away. _'How did I miss this?'_ "You're clean," she surmised. "You were lovers, but your bond… there's something more too it."

"She was my first student," the illusion added.

Eva scowled. There was always something between a teacher and his first student, but for them to have strengthened that bond to become lovers… "What a tangled web you weave…"

For a moment they all stood in silence, each unable to articulate what they were thinking.

"In regards to Springfield," the phantasm finally said, "make your plans, but you are not allowed to reveal yourself or to touch him until next term. He's far too green and young to be of any use to you right now, and if something were to happen to him now the senior faculty would become involved."

As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point.

"Give him a term to mature, and I'm sure that once he proves himself capable of reigning in your class…"

Eva had to smirk. It was cunning, and he was right, she couldn't touch him without drawing the other teacher's attention. They'd be much more lax should the runt actually prove to be just as effective as Takahata. "Why are _you_ telling me this?"

"Someone else is interested in Negi as well," Ranma stated. "The boy needs to be able to stand up to you first before he can stand up to any other threats."

"You think I'm going to go easy on him?" Eva snapped.

Ranma shrugged. "Perhaps."

* * *

Seeds of doubt filled Naru Narusegawa's mind, finally taking root after a week of unexpected happiness and bliss. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling so happy, yet she couldn't help but feel as though she'd had a new lease on life.

Few paid it any attention, not when her peers and co-workers were so focused on Ranma. While Hiro wasn't the first person Ranma had buried, he was by far the youngest and perhaps the most tragic. The promising youth was perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, but his unexpected illness and sudden death had left a noticable void in the Saotome household as well as in the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.

Yet even Hiro's passing failed to put a damper on her mood. Perhaps it was her own relative youth and immaturity combined with the fact that Ranma himself was immortal that made her and those around her forget about how truly fleeting a person's life could be. None of the other students at Mahora could honestly say that they thought today would be their last day. Each of them expected to see the next dawn and sunset, taking for granted those everyday things until it was too late.

Though she'd barely known him Naru could honestly say that Hiro had left a lasting impression on her. She would not take anything for granted. Dreams and long forgotten goals needed addressing. No longer could she simply push things aside hoping for things to happen next week or next month; no, if she wanted something to happen then she needed to set the ground work for herself.

* * *

"One week," Ranma grumbled as he eyed the frozen image on the monitor, "he couldn't even make it a week without using magic."

Beside him his companion smirked. "At least he's talented," the vampire assessed. "Brewing a love potion… I wonder what he used as a catalyst."

"Or where he got the ingredients," the vampire's partner added.

Both Ranma and Eva glanced at the blunette as the images on the monitor rewound.

"It's not easy finding or obtaining the key catalysts used in a love potion," Shinobu deadpanned. "Not that anything like that would work on you, sensei."

"Who was the potion supposed to be used on?" Ranma asked quickly.

"I think he was making it for Asuna," Chachamaru replied.

"They do know about magic," the master martial artist ceded, "and Negi knows that they know about magic."

"Looks like he's going down the path of becoming a better mage, not a better man," Eva remarked. "Let's see what other trouble he's capable of getting into."

* * *

The waning moon hid behind the wispy clouds, extending the shadows of the night and hiding the path of the young kunoichi. Yet even without the cover of darkness the buxom girl moved unnoticed through the mountain path. Kilometers flew by in the near darkness until she finally reached her destination.

A flash of movement caught her keen eye, prompting her slither into the deepest shadow. Stealing a glance at the nearly obscured moon Kaede waited.

* * *

Trouble seemed to be the best word to describe Negi Springfield. It wasn't that the boy intentionally sought to make things difficult for himself or those around him, but things just seemed to happen that way.

As a magnet for trouble himself, Ranma understood what it was like.

Fortunately for the young mage he'd yet to collect a staple of rivals, though he appeared to be gathering a harem consisting of the students from his homeroom. That was going to be a problem. Had the girls been Negi's age it would have been easier to put off a few years. No, the age difference was definitely a bad thing. Most of the girls in 2-A were already beginning to mature physically, but they were also reaching that age where they were going to become sexually active. Unfortunately the ten year old Negi had years before he'd reach that stage in his life, making it much too easy for some of the more clever and aggressive girls to take advantage of him.

But of all the girls in 2-A there was one that worried him the most – Haruna Saotome. Not only was she his niece, but she'd inherited her father's keen mind. Unfortunately she'd learned far too much from her father, though at least Ukyo had put a stop to the kunoichi training before Konatsu had managed to teach her too much about his family's art. Still, judging by the images in her sketchbook she was probably one of the more advanced girls in 2-A.

It didn't help that she was one of the girls that Negi turned to for advice as the magister magi in training sought to keep magic hidden from the rest of 2-A and his other non-magical students. Come to think of it, it wasn't beyond Haruna to suggest to the impressionable young boy something like a love potion, and she did have a knack for messing with her cousin.

For someone who was once the nexus of chaos and destruction it was hard for Ranma to just sit back and observe. Seeing how the girls chased after Negi it was hard for him to not insert himself into the fray much like he'd done the few times that Ryoga had gone out on a date with Akane.

Yes, trouble was not exclusive to Negi Springfield. Though he might be this generation's chaos magnet, the boy was not the only one who would be tested. Just as Ranma's rivals and suitors had been tested by their various trials, those around Negi would be tested as well.

"That's enough for today," the immortal master proclaimed as the tall blond pinned his niece to the wall of the dojo.

The individual spars had become more intense since the start of the autumn term. The addition of Akira and Ryoko helped change the dynamics of the group, but the greatest change had been brought about by the girls of 2-A's unresolved feelings towards Tenma. Having had multiple girls chasing after him in his teens Ranma had learned to notice the tell tale signs.

Yes, Tenma was beginning to take after his "father", a sign that the cybernetic clone was too much like the original. Asuna had been the first to fall for him. Kaede hid her intentions well, but only when the others were around or when she thought no one else could see. Add in the way that Luke secretly taunted his friend and confidant whenever he left the pair of them together and it was clear to Ranma that something had happened between Tenma and Kaede. Clearly Ayaka and Asuna had picked up on things as well as the two sought to limit the amount of time that Tenma was alone with the kunoichi. Fortunately for them the kunoichi had left for her weekend training with Konatsu, easing the tensions in the dojo while the others trained.

"Tenma, give them their assignments," he instructed as his students stood in line before him. Though he strove to make them all well-rounded fighters Ranma knew that they had were far from being balanced fighters. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses that needed to be addressed through different exercises.

Only Kaede's lessons were beyond his control as her time was split between Ranma and Konatsu's training. Physically she was the only one who came close to handling Luke's size and reach as well as with Tenma's experience and speed. Aside from Akira and Ryoko, she had the most formal training of the group.

"You're such a hot head!" Ayaka shouted at Asuna before throwing a right-cross at her opponent.

"Shut up blondie!"the shorter girl snapped as she ducked under her taller opponent's attack.

"This is the Soul of Ice?" Tenma asked as he stood beside his father.

"It's a step towards attaining it," Ranma replied. "We employ verbal barbs because we seek to unsettle our opponents, but if we allow ourselves to be swayed by our opponent's taunts we simply give our opponents something to use against us. Never let your emotions sway you in battle. Though they may empower you, they can also be used against you."

"The Soul of Ice is something you must master if you wish to learn your father's most powerful technique," Saffron added.

"It was my most powerful technique," Ranma corrected. "When the time is right you and the others can learn more."

For countless moments he watched his students spar. With Kaede gone for the weekend and with him sitting out the uneven numbers forced one of his students to sit out of the practice bouts. "Tenma, have them practice until midnight," he ordered.

"That's at least two hours off," the lumbering werewolf managed between labored breaths.

Ranma nodded as he turned his back to them, "Practice makes perfect."

* * *

The dark of night filled the tiny mountain clearing. Silently, patiently, the young kunoichi waited for her target to appear.

Finally, after hours of waiting, her target arrived. Even in the darkness she could tell that he had a lean yet powerful build. Like a tiger on the prowl, the man radiated deadly calm.

Every muscle in her stomach tensed, almost to the point of being painful. Gritting her teeth she waited for him to spring the first of her traps. The sound of forged metal cutting through the thin mountain air told her that he'd triggered the trap. Cautiously she rushed at the figure sailing through the air intent on intercepting him before he made it out of the clearing.

Metal met metal, filling the air with sparks as the two bladed weapons clashed once, twice, three times before finally her efforts were finally rewarded. The hot spray of blood enveloped her hand a moment before she pushed the body against a tree trunk. For a moment her target's body trembled before finally going limp.

"Good job," her master's voice whispered into her ear.

Startled, she extracted her kunai from her victim. The thick, drying blood on her hand and kunai instead drew her attention. "H-how long?"

"Too long," Konatsu scolded gently. "But you'll get used to it. We should go now."

* * *

Through the eyes of a heron Ranma watched as the defending regional champions in dodge ball challenged the girls of 2-A to a match. Though it took little prompting from him to get the Black Lilies to provoke Asuna and Ayaka, the fact that he could so easily manipulate his students, both former and current, into this confrontation was a sign of just how much older he was. While it was nothing compared to the things that Cologne and Happosai as well as his father and Mr. Tendo did to him and the others, it was proof that the young failed to see the bigger picture.

Hot headed Asuna and her friend/rival Ayaka refused to back down, even to older and more experienced girls like the freshmen girls before them. Rallying around the pillars of the class, the other girls quickly agreed to the challenge.

To make up for their inexperience they were supposedly given an advantage in numbers, but the truth was that the additional players actually gave the Lilies the edge. As good as Asuna, Ayaka, Makie, Kaede, and Haruna were, their abilities would be limited by the other girls.

First blood went to the Black Lilies as they picked off the twins and Nodaka in one swift play. In an attempt to quickly even the odds Asuna tried to pick off one of the Black Lilies. Predictably the fiery tempered girl managed to hit one of the Lilies. Ayaka followed up by eliminating another Black Lily, but Makie and Haruna's throws were off the mark. Unfortunately the Lilies throws hit their mark as well, eliminating five more girls from 2-A.

Inflated confidence combined with indignant rage prompted Asuna to pick up one of the balls and make a hasty throw. Though the ball connected with one of the Black Lilies the ricochet was caught by one of the other Black Lilies.

Even through the eyes of the hawk it was apparent that the Lilies had verbally taunted the younger girls as one of their leaders left the field of play. The older girls quickly employed a shock and awe strategy, swiftly eliminating five more members of 2-A. It was only because of Ayaka that the other girls managed to not be wiped out, slowly leading them back and even eliminating one more Black Lily.

Switching tactics the older girls began to single out their targets, allowing two girls to throw at a single target while setting up their teammate to actually eliminate the target. It was an effective ploy, allowing them to eliminate three more girls in little over a minute, cutting the ranks of 2-A down to 9 of the original 20.

By all appearances the Black Lilies had the girls of 2-A beat but to the trained eye it was clear that the remaining girls of 2-A had the older girls on the ropes. Without the extra bodies in the way their martial arts training was paying off. The true surprise though was Chao.

Even without seeing her eyes, the master martial artist relied instead on reading her ankles, knees, and shoulders. Few understood how the positioning of one's shoulders in relation to one's feet and knees related to how one moved; then again few dedicated themselves to the art as Ranma had. Having studied virtually every known style he could identify a style by the stance one stood in, but thus far he'd never seen Chao in action and couldn't identify her style.

While he'd suspected that she was a formidable fighter (Ku Fei had admitted that she'd been bested by the other Chinese girl) it was the way she moved was what caught his attention. Her stance was wide and balanced, with her left side leading so as to provide the smallest target to her opponents.

The subtle movements of her knees and feet as she ducked and dodged, never leaving herself fully vulnerable or exposed even when she took aim at one of the Black Lilies… it was hauntingly familiar. Without a doubt she was a genius, possessing both the emotional and physical fortitude along with the best grades in the entire school. But what was truly amazing was that she was holding back. She wasn't just trying to lure the Black Lilies into making a bad throw or exposing their strategies, she was actually making herself look bad.

At first he'd thought that he'd misread her style, but seeing her footwork as well as how she moved her shoulders and hips he was sure that she was forcing herself to stay in a spot longer than necessary before moving out of the way at the last possible moment.

But even with her amazing athleticism and intelligence the girls of 2-A were slowly being picked off, leaving only Kaede, Ayaka, Haruna, Makie, and Chao to represent their class. Outnumbered 10-5, they held managed to hold their own for ten minutes, skillfully dodging the older girls' throws though unable to eliminate any of the Black Lilies.

Shifting their own tactics, Ayaka made sure that the Lilies never had more than two balls at a time on their side of the field, limiting the effectiveness of the older girls' strategies. Finally Ayaka broke the stalemate, picking off one of the Lilies with a fierce throw. Kaede's timely intervention deflected a counter throw, saving the Class Rep even as she provided the Lilies with their ball back.

Again a lull in the action prevailed as both sides took calculated shots at each other for nearly a minute as they reevaluated their tactics and their remaining opponents.

Before he knew what had happened Kaede caught a ball, eliminating one of the Black Lilies and allowing Asuna to return to her team. Though the odds were still against them, the extra body helped as Ayaka and Kaede's arms had thrown the majority of balls for 2-A. Her fresh arm quickly claimed another Black Lily, helping to even the odds even more. The Lilies answered with a swift volley of their own, eliminating Makie in return and restoring their three player advantage.

As good as 2-A was, the Black Lilies still had the edge in experience. Years of working together and mastering different throws quickly overcame youthful energy. Spinning the ball at an incredibly high velocity, the raven haired captain caught Chao with a shot to the side of her head as the ball curved in the air and ricocheted wildly away, preventing the other girls from saving the young prodigy.

Having been lulled into complacency, the younger girls were shocked by the sudden intensity and turn that the match had taken. Unlike the start of the match where the girls' false bravado had been shattered by the reality of their situation, seeing just how much more advanced the other team was they realized just how out-classed they were.

Even their misses bounced back towards their side, allowing the Lilies to recover quickly and set up another volley. Figuring that the match was over, Ranma ended the scrying spell. Even if he missed anything Eva and Chachamaru were there as witnesses.

* * *

A/N

Yeah, it's been awhile since I've updated anything. Still, something here though.

Dreamingfox


	37. Chapter 37

Author's Notes –

Yeah, it's been a while since I've been able to post anything regularly.

Trying to work out and lose some weight, but I've also started watching anime on Netflix as I work out. And football season started too, so let's see how much I actually update.

Just started watching some anime… Not sure what to think of Trinity Blood, but it's enjoyable. I liked the way the music was used and how it blended with the mood and setting.

I'm currently jumping between Negima!? Magimaster Negi Magi. I somehow can't get over the dubbing and the accents. Still, it's okay.

Also watching Black Blood Brothers… It also has its moments.

That's it for now.

Enjoy.

* * *

"Wow," exclaimed his companion, "if it's this cool right now it's got to be worse when Asuna's running her deliveries."

"Never thought about it, I guess."

"It's not this cold at your house," Negi observed. "Probably because of the onsen."

In truth his place had been significantly warmer lately, thought that was due to an entirely different reason. Then again heat and cold really didn't bother him too much.

"It'll be good to get to class early today," the young Springfield said.

Initially he'd thought that the young boy was merely jet-lagged, but after observing him for much of the summer and the first few weeks of the term it was clear that Negi Springfield was simply not a morning person. As a homeroom teacher it was the boy's responsibility to arrive to his class on time and thus set a good example for his students. Unfortunately Negi had barely arrived at his class on time for much of the first month of the new fall term.

As Negi's host and as a fellow teacher it thus fell onto Ranma to ensure that Negi arrived at the campus on time. Monday and Wednesday had been successful, but on Tuesday and Thursday Negi had barely managed to arrive on time. Today their casual morning stroll took them down a different path as they picked up breakfast at one of the various vendors.

The usual morning rush clearly amazed Negi as he made his towards campus. With extra time to actually enjoy the stroll they opted to take another route. For Ranma it was the Claire's route as he enjoyed the French breakfast pastries. As one of the few teachers that taught classes at both the boy's and girl's campuses his schedule alternated, placing him on the girl's campus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and on the boy's half the rest of the week, giving him different options on where to pick up breakfast when he was short of time.

Not only were the shops surrounding each gender's academies different, but the energy of their respective student bodies was different. The girls appeared cheerful and jubilant but the closer one looked beyond the surface the more evident it was that there were tensions amongst the numerous clicks and groups. Rivalries between different classes, clubs, and grades simmered unchecked at the overcrowded girls' school. The boys were much more relaxed and though some were quick to temper personal squabbles rarely affected the overall atmosphere of the boys' school.

A prime example of this was the morning ritual of various challengers gathering just outside of the girls' campus. Officially Ku Fei was the campus champion though unofficially she'd lost that title to Chao in a match that no one talked about. The two dozen or so fighters were the best of the boy's clubs – boxing, kick boxing, Chinese martial arts, karate, judo, kempo, kendo, fencing, mixed martial arts, jujitsu, sambo, jeet kun do, tae kwon do, and a collection of self-taught students stood just outside of the train station, each waiting to defeat the young champion.

Yet the challengers themselves were merely puppets being manipulated by a multitude of puppet masters. After a full term of teaching he'd barely scratched the shroud hiding the puppeteers as a tangled web of youthful romances, broken hearts, wounded pride, and other teenage angst proved to be more difficult to decipher than one of the many bills being passed in the parliament.

"We're this early and there's still a crowd out here," the ever curious boy stated.

Ranma nodded, "It's Friday."

"Friday?"

"The martial arts clubs don't meet today," the older teacher explained.

"Huh?"

He paused, choosing not to explain things for once.

"Why are there so many boys here?"

There were days when Ranma couldn't help but wonder how one could be so smart yet so clueless. Then again, the same could have been said about him in his youth.

"Negi-sensei," several girls from 2-A greeted, "Saotome-sensei."

"Hey girls," Ranma returned.

Offering a formal bow, Negi instead addressed each of the girls. "Good morning Ayase, Asakura, Yukihiro, Chao, Nakase; do you know what's going on here?"

Shifting his focus to the gathered students Ranma began to sift out the fighters from the spectators. Almost twenty fighters stood tall, each wearing something that identified the style of fighting that they employed.

As interesting as he was in watching others fight, Ranma had long ago grown disinterested in the level of skill involved. Sure, Mousse's little girl was top notch, but she was nothing compared to her father. It would have been easy for him to have Tenma defeat her in public, but given her Amazon heritage he was loathed to do that to his remaining son.

Though he and Ryoga had not discouraged public fighting, they had stressed the importance of knowing where they were and the appropriate use of their skills and power. Add in the fact that Ranma had explained the significance of defeating an Amazon and the young teens had opted to forgo challenging Ku Fei. Tenma had his fair share of challenges as well, though those were now reserved for Sundays as the truly serious martial artists had spread word of the young heir to their less informed peers.

Even a quick glance told him that none of the gathered fighters were actually capable of doing little more than giving Ku Fei a light workout. No, if the young Amazon truly wanted a challenge she'd have to challenge someone at the Grill.

"It's the daily challengers," Nakase explained.

"Yeah," Ayase chimed in, "everyday some of the best fighters on campus gather to challenge Ku Fei."

Negi blinked, "Why?"

"She's the campus champion," Yukihiro added. "She won the tournament during the Mahora Festival last spring. And since the next tournament isn't until the spring term…"

"But"

Ranma quickly clasped his hand over the boy's mouth. Looking down at the runt he shook his head. Having Negi publicly state that Ku Fei had lost to someone recently, even if it was just a sparring match at the Grill, would do untold damage to Ku Fei's reputation, not to mention to all those who regularly challenged her.

Like Akane before her, Ku Fei's skills were being squandered. Though the Amazon could clearly handle the gathered challengers she was now focused too much on dealing with groups rather than with individuals. Broad, sweeping attacks were fine when outnumbered and in tight quarters, but against a single, skilled opponent such moves were easily countered.

In just over a minute the fight was over, with none of her challengers even managing to land a blow and each going down to just one blow. To the untrained eye it appeared as though she'd managed to take each of them out with a single blow each, but the truth was that several had managed to avoid her strikes though others had failed to avoid those attacks. There was no way to describe it other than sloppy.

"Ku Fei!" The sound of his voice boomed through the quad, drawing everyone's attention. "Your father would be ashamed of you! You feed your own ego by defeating opponents unworthy of challenging you when the truth is that you aren't even half the fighter your father was!"

Everyone gasped, surprised by the verbal and public reprimand.

"I will show you your father's art!" he declared as the crowds parted before him. "Hidden Weapon's technique!"

Weighted chains sprang from his wrists, catching the young champion by surprise. Though she managed to deflect or avoid most of the weights, a single weight caught her square in the chest, knocking her back nearly a meter.

"Swan strike!"

Suddenly the chains vanished, replaced only by a staff with a swan sitting on the end of it.

Everyone gasped as the swan took to the air, flying directly over Ku Fei. Even the young martial artist was intent on the majestic bird, allowing Ranma to slip in past her guard and strike her repeatedly in the chest and shoulders with the end of staff before sweeping her feet out from under her with the staff.

"Where the hell did he get a swan from?"

"Where was he hiding the staff?"

"What happened to the chains?"

Throwing the staff to the ground Ranma grabbed hold of Ku Fei's blouse. A quick twist and throw sent her flying towards the fountain in the quad.

Heart pounding, he stole a glance at the victorious 'champion'. As much as he wanted to reprimand her for wasting her skills in such a manor he knew that she honestly believed that such public displays helped her improve her skills so that she might one day be able to avenge her wounded pride. One day she'd fight Cao Lingshen again, but today was not that day.

"How was fight?" the young Amazon asked Cao as the blond approached her classmates.

"I'm so impressed," Negi exclaimed.

Shaking clear the last vestiges of his daydream Ranma put everything behind him. "We're going to be late."

* * *

Try as he might Ranma couldn't help but think about Chao Lingshen. His initial glances at her as she walked into and out of the few classes he had with 2-A yielded little, aside from the fact that she'd been able to hide herself in plain sight. Yes, Ku Fei was the local champion, but it was Chao who had defeated the champion first.

Considering her many academic feats most overlooked her athletic abilities, though with the multitude of athletes in 2-A it was easy for one to blend in and even get lost in the crowd. As such it would be hard to observe her without her noticing. From what Eva hinted at it was more than likely that Chao was just as manipulative as the day walking vampire if not more so. If that was true then she'd already be wary of any of his students and their friends, making it unlikely that she would put herself in a position where she was forced to face them unless she wanted to.

"It doesn't seem like he's been up to much other than getting to know the girls," he announced. The weekly meetings with Evangeline and Chachamaru had grown boring over the past month as Negi focused on his students and shied away from using magic. Aside from the loss 2-A suffered at the hands of the Black Lilies nothing of note had happened in the past month.

"Yeah," Eva sighed, her face scrunching as she contemplated her options.

"But if he's going to get to know the girls, who else should we direct his way?" the young immortal offered. "He already knows of a few magi in the class but there are others."

"Aside from me and Misora, there are no other active magi in our class," Eva stated.

"Really? What about Akashi or Chao?"

The vampire eyed him, trying to read his body and aura.

"Akashi's old man is one of the school's top mage," he reasoned. "She's got potential but he doesn't want her to know about magic."

The blond nodded slightly.

"And Chao… she's got a rap sheet as long as her awards, probably the only reason why she hasn't been expelled or had her memory wiped." He waited for her to absorb the information. "But she's up to something."

For once Eva smirked. "Both girls have talent, but I've yet to see anything at suggests that either is a magic user."

'Ah, she's hiding something… I wonder just what Chao has on Eva that even she's backing down.'

"If he's really going to be ready for me next term he's going to need to improve drastically," Eva finally stated. "He's having far too easy of a time lately and he's got nothing pushing him to improve as a mage. I doubt that the girls in my class will give him too hard a time, especially since they're so enamored with him."

It was Ranma's turn to smirk, suggesting that he was at least interested in her new line of thinking. For now the matter of Chao was forgotten, but at least he knew that he'd have to keep his guard up with Eva whenever Chao was mentioned. "Who else has beef with 2-A?"

"Huh?"

"Well, not 2-A as a whole, but individuals maybe. I know some of the guys that challenge Ku Fei regularly are being manipulated by girls, but I haven't figured out who they are yet."

"Ah, well, that's pretty easy. Look at the girls in the various martial arts clubs that have lost to her last year during the tournament. While the captains of the girls' teams accepted their defeats the seconds and their friends weren't so gracious, especially the high schoolers."

"Ku Fei's got her situation handled," he surmised. "But who else has issues with 2-A?"

"Kazumi's got her share of enemies," Eva supplied. "From all the dirty secrets she's exposed."

Ranma nodded.

"The rest are your girls," the blond stated. "Everyone else is pretty well liked and respected because of their roles in the other clubs or sports teams."

Again he nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. "If someone comes after my girls I'd probably have to get involved," he surmised. "I guess we'll just have to wait to see what or who else is going to start things for 2-A."

* * *

Heavy drops of rain pounded everything, hitting and bending the firm, green leaves that made up the thick canopy of the forest. Muddy streams flowed down the mountain trail, washing way her scent.

As refreshing as the night air was it did little to sooth her. Even the chill of the pounding rain failed to wash away the uncertainty that gripped her.

"You should get inside," a familiar voice suggested.

Startled, the kunoichi spun around, her hands immediately grasping for the hidden kunai she always carried. By the time her cold fingers found the hilts of her weapons Kaede spotted the speaker. "Tenma, what are you doing here?"

"This is my father's land," the emotionless boy stated. "I should ask you what you're doing here?"

"Master Saotome suggested I train here this weekend." It was a believable lie.

"Isn't that kind of training usually done under a waterfall?"

Kaede blinked away the rain in her eyes.

"Water training?" he added. "Though I doubt ninja do that kind of training."

She couldn't help but shiver at the word. Once, not too long ago, she'd been one of the many who adored and idolized ninja, or at least the idea of ninja. The harsh reality though had since sunk in, shattering the fantastic daydreams she'd once had.

"I doubt that Uncle wanted you to stand out in the rain all night," Tenma finally said as he turned towards the empty cabin.

A wave of unease ran through her body. Before she even realized it she was in Tenma's arms as the shorter fighter held her up. "You're so cold," she muttered.

"You're burning up," he replied as he pressed his forehead to hers. "You need to get out of your clothes."

* * *

An unseasonal storm raged outside of the dojo, a stark contrast to the silent dojo and house as Ranma entertained his lone guest.

"In all my years I never understood the appeal of ice cream," the redheaded prince stated even as he contemplated which flavor to consume.

"That's because you've only had the over-produced crap that's packed full of artificial flavors and preservatives," lectured the immortal. "It doesn't help that all you've had was melted then re-frozen."

Saffron nodded as he pointed at the mint chocolate chip. "It's a good thing you like to make your own ice cream."

"Well, I have to," Ranma insisted as he finished adding in fresh mint and chocolate chips into the soft frozen treat. "Tenma may not eat much, but the girls love eating it when they get out of the onsen. The only way I get any is if I go to the stand on the western side of the girls' campus or if I make some for myself. This will probably be gone by noon tomorrow."

The two stood silently as the two finished their project. Finally the redhead licked his lips at the finished product.

"Watch it," cautioned Ranma. "I don't want to make another batch just because you got excited."

Taking a deep, calming breath, Saffron stood straight. "Alright, I get it already. This is an exercise in patience and self-control."

Ranma suppressed a smile. Unlike his other students Saffron had little problem with the physical lessons, but like the others the young phoenix's powers metaphysical powers far exceeded his physical abilities. The short, personal lessons though weren't just to help Saffron control his powers, but to help him develop the social skills needed to survive in the world.

He knew from his own personal experiences just how much trouble teens like himself could get into and how their lack of social and people skills often amplified the situations that they got into. Add to that the power (and egos) that they packed and things could easily get out of control. Looking back at all the property damage they'd incurred decades ago Ranma couldn't help but wonder how they'd managed to get away with what they did.

"So," Saffron said, breaking him out of his reverie, "what are you going to do about Negi?"

Ranma blinked as he collected himself, then smirked. The rare unguarded moment put aside, he eyed his former rival turned student. "If he's anything like me, I'm sure that we won't need to do anything. Trouble will find him soon enough. We just have to be there to make sure it doesn't get out of hand."

* * *

The pounding rain greeted Kaede as she awoke from her unplanned slumber. A gentle breeze informed her of the unseasonable chill of the late autumn even as it told her that she was surprisingly dry and warm. Her senses dulled, she slowly took in her surroundings.

"You're awake," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

Reflexively her body stiffened even as she realized that the speaker had his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you."

"Saotome-senpai."

"It's alright," he assured her, "nothing happened last night. If you want I'll turn around while you get up."

"That's unnecessary," she replied as she allowed herself to enjoy his warmth.

"'A kunoichi knows no modesty'," the young martial artist quoted. "I may not have completed my uncle's training but I know of the unspoken rules."

His unintentional words stung causing her to stiffen in his arms.

"I see," he said as he removed his arms from around her. "The reality of your life as a ninja is getting to you. Father suspects that you've been sent on your first kill mission. Death is no stranger to a ninja."

Even as his body warmed her his words sent a soothing chill down her spine, easing her troubled soul as the rain could not. "Thank you."

For untold minutes the two lay there, listening to the heavy rain.

"My words may lack the eloquence of my father's, but I understand why he prefers to use them instead of his fists."

Attuning his enhanced hearing he listened to her breath, waiting for her to fall asleep once again before he gently pulled away from her. Even in the virtual darkness of the night Tenma dressed quickly and effortlessly, careful to not disturb the sleeping girl.

Night quickly passed, turning into day though the unrelenting rain continued to drench the mountain.

He didn't know why, but the cyborg found the rain to be soothing. Perhaps that was why the young ninja had been out in the rain, though it was also possible that she was trying to build up her own endurance to the weather. Logically the latter made sense, but something inside of him suggested the former.

* * *

The flow of time stops for no one, especially an immortal. Even as Ranma waited for something to happen to Negi the illusionist couldn't ignore his other duties.

The fleeting warmth of the house was due in part because Saffron had left with Luke, though it was not because of the lack of his control over fire and heat. No, the house only felt warm when there were others there to enjoy it with. For the first time since he'd moved in the house felt cold.

"It's like that saying you picked up while traveling in southeast Asia," a familiar voice called out from the shadows. "Something to the extent that a warm house is one filled with happiness."

"I guess that's why everyone likes it at the restaurant," the immortal retorted.

Stepping out of the shadows Konatsu looked down at his adopted brother. "Perhaps."

Even that little exchange helped warm the house.

"I hear that you've been working hard," the cross-dressing ninja stated, drawing a shrug from the true Saotome. "You know about Kaede?"

Ranma nodded. "Her first kill mission - beats a seduction/kill… how did you manage that one?"

Konatsu's lips curled ever so slightly. "Dead men tell no tales."

"But you're not dead and you're a man."

"And even I have secrets that I can't tell you," he replied quickly. "Of course, I'm not here to talk about my past missions."

"You came because you ran into something that's more along my line, right?" Ranma interjected. "What is it?"

"Vampires."

The young immortal paused. "How many?"

"We're not sure," Konatsu answered. "But there are enough of them that they wiped out a cell jounin."

"Their mission?"

"Classified. But what I can tell you is that they are associated with one of the local yakuza."

A slight tingling sensation ran up Ranma's spine. "American or Russian?"

"American."

He didn't like the sound of that. "The yakuza's using the westerners to expand their turf."

Konatsu gave a slight nod.

"Americans… so that means that they're operating close to one of the US bases…." With a wave of his hand he brought up an illusionary map, the areas closest to the American bases glowing a light orange. "Where?"

"Tokyo."

"Nerima?"

Again Konatsu gave a slight nod. "Nerima."

* * *

A/N

That's it for now. Maybe I have been watching too much vampire anime…

Dreamingfox


	38. Chapter 38

Author's Notes –

Tax season is now done, so I'm trying to write a bit more, but we'll see how things go.

What a way for the football season to end. I hope the Pack can step up next season.

* * *

The dark streets of Nerima seemed so foreign to the immortal martial artist as he made his way through the shadows. Even the poor lighting failed to hide the fact that many of the buildings were in disrepair. Initially he'd thought that it was just one or two houses, or perhaps just a neighborhood, but the further he traveled the more apparent it was that this was no longer the Nerima he'd known.

The sad truth was that even though the almost daily fights that occurred during Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts there were a good number of houses and buildings always in need of repair, but those were always repaired. These buildings appeared to be completely neglected. Though the fighters were known to damage the buildings, they also served to keep out the criminal element.

Gone were the proud martial artists who fought their rivals regularly yet managed to protect the weak from being exploited. Gone was the Kuno family, the cornerstone of the community that employed construction crews to constantly repair the damages from the various fights. Gone were the local martial artists whom the city council relied on to keep the peace amongst the everyday citizens.

This Nerima was little more than a haunting reminder of what once was. Even more vexing was the fact that the changes that the city had undergone hinted at how much of an abomination he was.

Technically, he wasn't a human anymore. But he wasn't the only one.

In his time studying at Scholomance he'd learned much about vampire myth, but it was his travels through Eastern Europe that had taught him the most about the predatory humanoids. While most fed on human blood, there were a good number that fed on other mammals. Though the average vampire was stronger and faster than a typical human, the difference was akin to that of a normal person and an Olympic caliber athlete. Compared to other supernatural creatures vampires tended to be on the weaker side of the scale, though they made up for it with longevity. Contrary to popular belief, sunlight didn't kill vampires, neither could garlic and silver. Despite their weaknesses nothing short of decapitation or immolation could kill a vampire.

As such they were in fact one of the best enforcers anyone employing the supernatural could use. Most preferred to be paid in blood, usually human. Working for the mafia, yakuza, or whatever underground criminal organization was inevitable really. Where else could they get access to blood while also being able to hide their presence? Human trafficking allowed them the pick of the litter, giving them the occasional virgin to feed on as well as helping provide them with the means to hide their presence from the occasional hunter.

Unlike other supernatural creatures, vampires retained all of their supernatural advantages regardless of the moon cycle or tide, nor did they have a tendency to break into a blood lust or go berserk once blood was spilled. Unlike other creatures they grew stronger once they fed, much like Popeye and spinach.

The signs weren't good for Nerima. For a coterie to be here meant that the local yakuza or gang wanted to expand their turf. Though he didn't want to involve himself in underworld politics Ranma knew he had no choice. Even though he never considered Nerima a home as he currently did with Mahora and had with Hinata, the city was still important to him. Besides, he'd already made a name for himself with many of the supernatural beings, especially in Japan and Eastern Europe.

He's spent the day researching the yakuza involved, making sure that they weren't the faction that had been taken over by one of the ninja clans. From what he'd uncovered it appeared as though the local yakuza was starting to deal in human trafficking and pushing drugs – the usual activities that drew vampires to a criminal syndicate. The set-up was perfect. The business catered to cram school students, most of who opted to study at the café rather than returning home after their classes.

The café itself was legitimate, but of the seven waitresses two were definitely vampires.

"Table for one or are you waiting for others?" the hostess asked as he entered the café.

"One," he replied.

"Mio," the cheerful hostess called out to the taller of the two vampires, "would you show him to table seven?"

The vampire known as Maki nodded, rushing over to the entrance before leading him towards the back corner booth. Trailing behind the taller girl, he couldn't help but notice her sauntering gate. No stranger to the playful flirtations employed by waitresses, Ranma fought the urge to stare as any teenaged boy might do were they in his shoes.

Finally he took his seat, accepting the menu offered by Mio. "Are you new to Nerima?" Her voice was firm yet friendly as she waited beside the table.

"Not really," he replied honestly. "It's been a while since I've been in Nerima."

"What brings you back?"

"Just wanted to see the old neighborhood."

"You used to live here?"

"Yeah, a long time ago. This place sure has changed a lot." Scanning the menu quickly he glanced up, meeting Mio's light brown eyes. "I'll have the black tea and the apple turnover."

"Okay." The warmth in her smile extended beyond her lips up into her twinkling eyes. "I'll be right back with your order."

Watching her as she left he knew that Mio had that casual grace that few non-practitioners of one of the physical arts possessed.

Eyeballing the café he found nothing unusual. Cram school students huddled around their respective tables, some clearly flustered, others working diligently on their assignments, and more than a few slumbering while surrounded by their companions. Given the café's 24 hour service it made sense that more than a few teens were resting here. Having lived the life of a ronin Ranma knew that sometimes it wasn't worth going home after class, especially when one had to rush between school and work.

"Here's your apple turnover and black tea," Mio announced, disrupting his thoughts.

"Thanks."

"Is there anything else?" the raven haired vampire asked. "Or have you seen all that you've come to see?"

"I figured there were more of you," he whispered so that only she could hear. "If you could wipe out a team of ninja I figured there were at least two methuselahs. But the presence of an antediluvian makes sense."

"You're not a ninja," she stated as she set his plate down. Leaning in she sniffed the air, catching his scent. "You're not even human."

"More than you," he replied coolly.

"So threatening the humans in the café won't faze you," Mio countered.

Blue eyes locked with grey eyes. "Even your yakuza friends won't be able to cover that up."

"'Gas main explosion destroys local café'," she countered. "How unfortunate."

"The fire might not kill you, but it will wound you enough, not to mention that your buddies won't take too kindly to losing this investment." Picking up the tea he took a sip. "The fire and the explosion won't bother me, and neither will the arsenic you slipped into the tea."

Suddenly the waitress stood up straight as she finally noticed that all the humans in the café were slumped over. "Rumi!?"

"I guess Rumi was hungry," Ranma stated Mio searched for the shorter vampire. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it sooner, what with your heightened sense of smell."

"Dead man's blood," she hissed. "I knew you had the smell of a mage, but you don't reek of necromancy."

With practiced ease Ranma wiggled the fingers of his left hand, causing several 'students' to move. True masters of illusion knew better than to just rely on spell-craft. Even the best illusions could be seen through, but the addition of scents and when necessary puppets made the scene he'd created all the more believable to even the sharpest and keenest eye.

It helped that Konatsu and the ninja's who'd sent his this job had researched the vampires and the café. With their help he'd managed to divert the handful of real cram school students that frequented the café to another location even making them think that they were at this very café. It also helped that he'd managed to get his hands on the blue prints to Chachamaru's artificial heart, giving just enough material to fool his prey. Between Mahora's resident vampire and the ninjas this mission was going rather smoothly.

This was slowest time of night, making it relatively easy for him to fill the business with his replicas. The hard part had been fooling one into trying to feed off of one of them.

"It'd be best if you just surrendered," he suggested. "I promise I'll go easy-"

BTOOM!

The fiery explosion cut his offer short though it hadn't caught him expected as he'd noticed Mio's legs tensing. Even an exceptional martial artist wouldn't have been able to do much from a seated position, but he was far from just exceptional. Riding the force of the explosion as it blew through the hallway from the kitchen Ranma grabbed hold of Mio's wrist as he rushed her. Pulling her to him he slammed his free fist into her jaw, slamming her fanged mouth close.

Between the explosion and the force of his punch he'd expected to send the pair of them flying over the table behind her. To her credit Mio was much sturdier than he'd anticipated. His fist felt as though he'd slammed it into a two ton boulder rather than a petit, but buxom teenaged girl. Fortunately for him he'd fought guys much tougher than her. Still, it stung his pride to know that he'd underestimated her.

It stung even worse when Mio drove her knee into his groin. Even his decades of experience couldn't help him avoid that blow at such close quarters. Resisting the urge to crump into a fetal position he instead shifted his body and twisted his momentum so that he swung around the vampire, capturing her back and wrapping his right arm around her throat.

Ears ringing, he felt the table break beneath him as Mio dove back onto the table he'd expected to send the both of them flying over. Flames licked the air above them as they wrestled on the floor. Shifting his hips he tried to a firm grip on the vampire's throat even as Mio slammed her elbows into his side or flailed wildly as she tried to throw awkward punches at him. Grabbing hold of her long hair with his left hand he felt her neck muscles tense as she tried to avoid the inevitable. Ju jitsu wasn't his forte, but it was something he'd picked up as a necessity to add variety to his personal style. Finally he was rewarded with the sound of her neck snapping.

* * *

Adumbrations were capable of hiding so much more than the kunoichi ever realized. Months ago she'd thought that she had a good grasp of what others overlooked, but now that she'd seen beyond what was obscured by the shadows the world she now knew was much more threatening and immense then she'd previously realized.

Hers was no longer a world filled with just school life and what she'd thought to be extreme martial arts training. Now her life was filled with pretending to be a slightly atypical teenaged girl while not being an on-call assassin. Killing was still something that she had a hard time dealing with, but with the younger Saotome's help she was just starting to get over that obstacle.

She knew that there were far deadlier things than ninjas and magi, but facing that reality was proving to be hard harder then she had realized. The fact that a coterie or pack or whatever it was that Ranma called a group of them had eliminated a team of chunin ninja sent chills down her spine.

And then there was the fact that the vampire had stated that Ranma wasn't human himself. The fact had been lost in the chaos of all that had happened since the café had been blown up, but it did little else but gnaw at Kaede as she observed the elder Saotome's interrogation of the vampires.

'You're not even human.' The vampire's words echoed through the girl's skull. 'You're not even human.'

Having been trainined to see into and past the darkness the young kunoichi could not help but try to take the stray clues and try and decipher them.

But if Ranma wasn't human, then what were Tenma and Akira? The youngest Saotome had died, but even the supernatural could be killed. Still, his death had been the result of terminal cancer, not a violent or undiagnosed death. Could the supernatural die from cancer?

Focused as she was on the incomplete facts, Kaede barely noticed that her sensei had completed his task.

"Kaede."

"Sensei," she snapped reflexively, "what did you find you?"

"There are four more vampires," he stated. "They're holed up in a vacant house, but she didn't say where. They're probably suspicious now that we have these two."

"They won't leave?"

He shook his head, "Vampires are very loyal – they won't leave one of their own behind if they know that they're still alive."

"So we have to find their lair?"

Again he shook his head, "They're too dangerous to hunt. We'll just let them come to us."

"How?"

"They've got a keen sense of smell," he pointed out. "Since she's their maker they should be able to pick up her scent easily."

She raised her eyes, scanning the desolate building that they currently occupied. The windows were closed (the better to keep the screams in) but not tight as a slight draft was evident from the movement of the curtains. "You tortured her just spread her scent."

For a moment his eyes locked with hers. Though he might not be human, he was not inhumane. "If that had been my plan I would have set traps before torturing them," his even, cool voice answered. "If they're anything like most vampires they won't move until dark. Unfortunately I think that most of them are antediluvians so they're smarter and stronger than neonates."

His words flew over her head well beyond her comprehension.

"Neonates are young vampires," he explained. "They're usually anything younger than a decade. Most vampires are between a decade to a century old, but those who survive past a century are considered antediluvians and those with over a millennium under their belt are methuselahs."

The young kunoichi nodded as she filed away the terms and their meaning. "The older they are the stronger they are."

"Usually," her sensei replied. "We captured the youngest, but even she managed to drain an entire marionette before the dead man's blood dropped her."

Again Kaede nodded. "But can't they smell the blood?"

"They'll smell blood, but can't tell the difference between the two until they actually ingest it," he elaborated. "At least I haven't met one that could tell the difference."

"But she knew that you weren't human."

"There's something about feeding on other supernatural creatures that is taboo," he shrugged. "Most superhuman creatures are designed to have particular tastes and it's hard for them to adjust to something else, but when it comes to feeding on other supernatural creatures they end up having something akin to an allergic reaction. Unless you're like a werewolf – then you just eat anything you can put in your mouth."

"So I lace my blades with dead man's blood," she surmised.

Her sensei shook his head. "They smell too much blood and they'll know that we're setting a trap or that you're using it against them. Remember, they're old and experienced. They know their weaknesses better than we do. Play to your strengths – not to their weaknesses.

"They might be faster and stronger than you, but they're undisciplined fighters. They'll get their shots in - just make sure that you're the one ending the fight."

In all honesty her sensei's words failed to inspire. They were outnumbered, just as the squad of chunin had been, and even though she had seen her sensei take out the most powerful of the vampires by himself, could he really take out four of them? She'd seen him fight plenty of times, usually against multiple opponents, but were any of the other students up to par with the vampires?

"Focus," he ordered her, calming her nerves ever so slightly. "Remember what you're capable of and work with that."

Suddenly he looked away from her. "They're here."

Before she even could think that they weren't ready the first of the vampires burst through the window, knocking her off her feet as it sought to tackle her. Instinct and countless practice sessions kicked in as she reflexively kicked out with one foot and rolled onto her back, sending her attacker crashing into and through the wall.

The sound of three more windows breaking was drowned out by the sound of her pounding heart as it pumped adrenaline into her limber body.

"Basement!" Ranma ordered as his heel connected with the jaw of an airborne assailant.

In a flash she was down the stairs and inside the damp room. Trained to fight in the darkness she actually felt a bit of relief at the fact that there were no lights on in the basement. Few houses in Japan had such amities due to the frequency of earthquakes, but leave it to the ninja and her sensei to find the one building in Nerima that had a functioning and undamaged basement.

The sound of heavy footsteps quickly descending the stair brought her attention back to the fight at hand as Ranma voluntarily yielded ground to the quartet of antediluvians. For the briefest of moments Kaede thought it odd that he would voluntarily retreat through such a tight space. Ranma worked best with open space, though perhaps it was the fact that his opponents were nearly as quick as he and undoubtedly just as strong as he was that prompted him to such measures.

Setting her feet, the kunoichi couldn't help but think that she was missing something. Drawing her kunai she let loose a volley at the first of the vampires that appeared at the base of the stairs, forcing it to dive to the side to avoid the coated blades. The sound of her weapons sinking into the wood alerted the other vampires of the threat she posed. Two came crashing through the wood paneling of the stairs while the third dove into the ground.

'He's splashing into the ground,' she quickly thought as the last vampire crashed into the ground. The thought hit her before the realization.

Fortunately she wasn't the last one to make that discover as the other vampires landed in the still wet cement.

'Water walking,' she surmised as she just noticed the way her chakra was being expelled from her feet to keep her from sinking into the basement wide trap.

Before the vampires could even make the connection Ranma was on them. A swift axe kick buried the face of sprawled vampire deeper into the gritty gray mixture. Stomping on the befuddled creature's head Ranma propelled himself at the first vampire to venture into the basement, delivering a punishing elbow to the side of the head before latching his arms around the man's head and snapping his neck.

A second volley of kunai sunk into the soft flesh of the undead creatures. Slowed as they were by the wet cement they were powerless to avoid the volley, though a few blades did bounce off of their borrowed chainmail sleeves and vests. Weighed down as they were they were significantly slower than normal, allowing Kaede to lose a third volley that pinned them down. The bolos and weighted nets were far from what the vampires' had expected, though clearly they had not expected any of what they had received.

"Good job," Ranma smirked as he approached the pair. "Ninjas are best when they're a few steps ahead of their advisories.

"You may have caught the others unprepared, but it was arrogant of you to think that you could do that to a second squad."

"You won't get away with this," the second in command growled.

"We're not going to kill you," Ranma stated.

"I'll rip your throat out," the vampire threatened.

"I doubt that," the magi replied. "I said we weren't going to kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't do something else to you."

With the ease of a seasoned killer Ranma's hands grasped the vampire's head before swiftly snapping his neck. "Call the others," he ordered her as he moved to finish the remaining vampire. "Our job is done."

* * *

"Your report's not done," Saotome-sensei stated as he eyed the screen before the young kunoichi.

Tedious as it was, Kaede knew that Ranma was right. Though all record of the report would be erased, it was still necessary for her to type up the report of her mission to turn into her superiors. The content of the report didn't matter so much as the fact that she did not allow any detail to go unnoticed.

"The vampire that attacked me was bald," she recalled, "195cm, 95kg, with a scar over his right eye and a tattoo on his left bicep, athletic build, Caucasian, grey eyes." She knew that the sequencing of the information was less than ideal, but the key points were there. "He was the last one down the stairs, the one of the ones that jumped through the wall into the basement, and the first of that pair that you took out. He wore a navy shirt and appeared to have the arm guards of one of the slain chunin.

"The other vampire was Caucasian, dirty blond hair, 190cm, 102kg, hazel eyes, muscular build, no other distinguishing features. He wore a faded army uniform, no rank indicated, and the mesh armor underneath." Rattling off the innocuous details of the remaining vampires she noted the expectant look in her sensei's eyes.

"What about the fact that the vampire Mio knew that Ranma wasn't completely human?" another voice asked from the darkness.

She knew that someone was there, but just who and how many of the jonins she didn't know. Try as she might she knew that she wouldn't be able to see the speaker. More than likely he was behind a fake wall, but all the walls were probably fake.

"That's enough," a familiar voice proclaimed. "Thank you for your report."

* * *

Standing before the assembled masters, Ranma knew that he found himself in an unusual position. Ninjas were highly secretive, especially amongst themselves, but they had reached out to him through the martial arts association. It was a gigantic step for the usually secluded group to make, but it was a sign of the times. The world, their world, was no longer insular, and though they were loathed to admit it they knew that they could not deal with all their problems in the same old ways.

"I'm surprised," the masked master stated. As the only ninja actually seated before him, the olive green clad man was tasked with drawing his attention.

"At the result or the methods employed?" the immortal asked, undaunted by his position. He counted four jonin guards for the master, which meant that there were at least two more masters and a dozen guards between them.

"Both," the green master answered. "I knew you were good, and fully expected you to prevail, but not so soon."

"You expected a full brawl?" the pigtailed master asked, a smirk on his lips.

The master paused, then nodded. "You do have a reputation."

"Experience has taught me to end fights quickly," he explained. It was a half-truth, but still a truth none the less.

"The girl's progress has exceeded our expectations," a hidden master interjected. "Ensure that she stays sharp."

Unspoken was the order that Kaede was now under his tutelage, her missions to be dissected by the jonin so that the ninja would not be caught unawares by the supernatural. It was one thing for them to fight other humans, even magi, but with the world becoming larger and smaller at the same time it was inevitable for them to start to prepare for dealing with the other things that went bump in the night.


	39. Chapter 39

Author's Notes –

Back to work now that my vacation's over. I wish I didn't have to go back to work, but as some of you know my writing isn't good enough to make a career of it.

Thanks to all of you who have been following this fic for however long it's been. It feels good to know that someone enjoys this fic other than me.

* * *

The evening wind rustled the bamboo, masking the kunoichi's movement as she made her way through the small grove behind the dojo. The long shadows provided her with sufficient cover despite her larger frame. Only the massive foreigner was larger than she was, though Luke rarely relied on misdirection when he attacked and he never hid except when the moon was nearly full. Even with his advantage in reach she was capable of besting him seven out of ten times.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention. Focusing on the gentle steps she measured the distance – seven meters… no six, but whose footsteps? Makie wouldn't never ventured into the grove, too aware of her smaller stature and the limitations of her ribbons. Only Ayaka could step so lightly as Asuna was as light on her feet as a bull.

Another crunch, this time five meters away.

Ayaka was trickier. Unlike Luke the class representative had trained in various martial arts for nearly a decade and was a much more natural fighter than the werewolf. In the dojo she'd split her matches against the kunoichi. But this wasn't the dojo.

The mock fights in the yard yielded vastly different results than the sterile confines of the dojo. Thus far only Tenma and Ranma had won the monthly free-for-alls, though Kaede was often in the last three. Pride demanded that she do her best here, but that did not mean that she needed to confront the class rep. Slipping further into the shadows she hoped that the usually perceptive blond would overlook her hiding spot since it was unlikely that someone would encounter her.

As she hid Kaede couldn't help but think of her last mission. Though she knew that she was supposed to have put it out of her mind she couldn't help but think back to what the ancient vampire had said, "'You're not even human.'"

The sound of a fight nearby stopped Ayaka in her tracks.

"Not this time Makie!" the foriegner's voice proclaimed.

Rushing forward Ayaka hoped to aid her classmate against the foreign boy. As the smallest of the group the gymnast was pitted against largest of the group, a matchup that did not favor her even in the confines of the grove.

The sound of wooden practice blades slicing through the air alerted her to the presence of one of the shinmei-ryu. The three newest members to the dojo had certainly disrupted the hierarchy of the group. Not only had their training and style drawn attention to the others' limitations, it had shown them the differences in their ability. The Saotomes clearly liked to fight down to the level of their opponents, though Asuna and Ayaka initially outmatched Haruna, it had become clear that the mangaka had caught up with them. Tenma and Ranma were far and away the best in the dojo, but how far was still to be determined.

What the elder Saotome showed in the dojo was just quicker than the keenest eye could follow but when in the field Saotome-sensei was but a blur to even her. It had not been until the last mission that she realized just how far behind him she was. He had managed to best a coterie of vampires, the same vampires that had eliminated a team of experienced chunin. Even a jonin would not have been able to dispatch of team with such efficiency.

Lost in her thoughts, Kaede failed to notice the nearly silent approach of the youngest of the shinmei-ryu as her classmate crept towards her. "So you've found me."

The redhead nodded, "Please do me the honor of fighting seriously with me."

Slowly the ninja emerged from the shadows. In the time since the shinmei-ryu had joined the dojo she had yet to actually spar against any of them due to her own special training with Konatsu, at least not individually. While she was loathed to admit it Kaede had relished the idea of testing herself against the shinmei-ryu.

Ryoko in particular favored a single blade whereas Setsuna fought with katana and wakizashi. Akira was the mystery, shifting from nodachi, to katana, to naginata to fighting weaponless.

Her face an emotionless mask, Kaede gingerly advanced on Ryoko.

* * *

"She looks just like you," Konatsu stated as he watched the young redhead face off against his student.

Ranma shook his head, "She's taller, sturdier than I was."

"From her mother's side," the cross-dressing ninja stated. "The doctor chose only the most suitable women to birth your children."

"Asato Nanae," he interjected. "She's a teacher somewhere, but was a black belt in judo and karate if I remember correctly. And Yukihyou Kamiyama - a former pro-wrestler."

"You know their names."

"I know their names," Ranma repeated.

"Kyoichi?"

The immortal nodded.

"Word is that she's now a department head," his informant stated. It was rare for Konatsu to freely offer information, especially information that Ranma did not have himself. "Speaking of Kyoichi, I hear that St. Francis is getting a new visiting priest."

The information made sense. John should have taken his vows by now and Japan did have a problem with monsters, more so than even Korea.

The church itself was on the edge of Mahora, a significant place considering that it wasn't part of any Magic Association. Still, it was odd given John's short history with Ranma. The immortal's short stay in Korea and his encounter with the undead monk and the young priest in training had proven notable to the heads of various magic associations in Korea, Japan, America, and the Vatican. Was this then an overture aimed at the Ambassador? Even if it wasn't the heads of the various MA's as well as those tied to them would see it as such.

From the way that Konatsu was looking at him it was clear that the ninja knew that Ranma had no knowledge of the black mage's position or of the young priest's appointment. Such was the cost of the information.

Further complications did not bode well for Ranma. His classes and his students were already a handful, but the fact that one of them now knew of his immortal secret was trouble enough. Still, of the students he had Kaede posed the fewest problems.

"She's good," his adopted brother's voice proclaimed.

A glance back at the yard told him that Ryoko had managed to best Kaede despite losing her bokken during the fray. It was something that Ranma and Tenma had been working on with them, the official reason why they had been sent here. Their skill at unarmed combat had surpassed even Ranma's expectations, testament to Ryoga's skill as an instructor.

"Kaede's distracted," the immortal stated. "She's starting to piece things together."

"She's loyal to you," Konatsu stated. "That's why she's in my care."

Ranma nodded ever so slightly. Ninja were to be loyal only to their master, and while he was her teacher now, it would not do to have her further attach herself to him. Though the current masters were at least neutral to him it was possible that their successors might not be so welcoming to the immortal. Most saw the world in three shades consisting of ninja and non-ninjas, both of which could be broken into groups consisting of allies, enemies, and everyone else. As the adopted brother to a ninja there were some who viewed him as a ninja, but most accepted him merely as a go-between, something akin to an untrained ninja despite the fact that he was just as skilled and accomplished as some of the highest ranking ninjas.

It would be best to keep her from prying into his secrets, yet her training had opened her eyes to some of the facts that he hoped to remain obscured. She would test his ability as an illusionist, actor, and teacher as he sought to find the balance needed.

"And you have a winner," Konatsu announced.

Gazing down at the yard, Ranma quickly counted the heads of the eliminated students. The winner was a Saotome, though not the one that everyone had expected. Somehow Haruna had managed to eliminate the others as they fought each other or focused on Tenma. Clearly her lessons in akido and judo were starting to pay off. Though she lacked the speed, reach, and experience of many of the others she had instead focused on her strengths, forcing the others to fight a fight that favored her despite appearances.

"I guess the others will not take her so lightly next time."

Ranma nodded at the prideful father. Both men knew that Haruna would never follow her father's path. Though mischievous the manga-ka lacked the switch that Kaede had – the one that allowed her to go from coy school girl to cold-blooded killer. While she might be able to kill, doing so would weigh heavily on the bright eyed girl whereas Kaede lost none of her luster after making a kill.

Even after shedding so much blood Ranma knew that some deaths still weighed on him. Hiro's was particularly difficult, as were the deaths of the Tendo sisters. There were nights when he relived the horror or their deaths despite his best efforts. Only his decade of exile and training had kept him from lashing out in his sleep.

No, Haruna would not walk that path. In an age when ninja were slowly becoming obsolete it was inevitable. Blood no longer mattered. Kaede was most-likely to succeed him, though Tenma and Luke were distinct possibilities. "Good job," he congratulated his niece. "I believe that's your first."

"It's one for the record books!" the brunette smiled gleefully before flashing a 'V' at the others.

"As good as you become, you'll all end up losing to someone eventually," he lectured. "Sometimes you lose fights that you're supposed to win, and sometimes you win fights that you're supposed to lose. It happens. Learn your lessons and keep pushing yourself to improve yourself."

Had he paid attention to the entire spar he might have been able to give them each individual pointers, but he still had the rest of the week to do that. He could check the video and the scrying pool if needed to watch the individual encounters. "Tenma, Luke; clean up. Haruna, take the girls into the baths."

* * *

Darkness was both friend and foe to those trained in the way of the ninja. It could hide one from their enemies or it could hide enemies from you. For the still green genin it held many untold horrors as she discovered more and more about the large world she lived in. Only the fact that she had been assured that the girls' dorms were secure gave her any peace of mind. As it was she still insisted on setting alarm traps just in case something other than magi came after her.

Yet even the relative safety of the dorms failed to ease her mind tonight as she thought of the weekend mission. Only hours ago she'd been in Nerima with Ranma, hunting vampires and then discovering that he wasn't entirely human. Now she couldn't help but wonder if others that she knew weren't more than they appeared.

Following her logic she needed to investigate those who didn't stay in the dorms, either full time or who failed to stay during the full moon.

"You shouldn't be here," a familiar voice advised. The sound of his heavy step told her that it was Tenma and not Ranma who had found her spying on her classmates. "I know what you're doing."

"You know of my mission?" the kunoichi asked.

"I know of the results," Tenma replied. "So now you're investigating anyone who doesn't live in the dorms to see if they're not human."

Hearing him say it Kaede couldn't help but blush. Thankful that the failing light of dusk kept him from seeing her state, she focused her eyes on the lone cabin in the woods. Her own feelings for the boy confused her, as did her unanswered questions about his father and family. "What happened to Hiro?"

"He died." Tenma's cold and emotionless voice shocked her. It was not the forced cool of someone still grieving or getting over a sibling's death, but the tone that he always used. That realization surprised her.

"You have questions, I can give you some answers, though they will undoubtedly lead to more questions," he stated in his usual even tone. "I am not human."

Kaede froze. Though she'd suspected it hearing him actually admit it was… it was beyond anything she'd expected. She couldn't help but turn and glance at him, "What are you?"

A rare display of emotion graced his face as his lips curled, hinting at an amused smile. "A cyborg, a clone, I'm not entirely sure myself."

The ninja blinked.

"You know that Ranma is immortal," he explained. "His flesh, even when severed from him, can be reattached, leaving no wound. Cut off a limb and it does not die as would happen to a mortal. Attach it to a mechanical skeleton, give it the right nutrients, and it will grow back."

Taking a step back Kaede pressed her back against the hard bark of the tree.

"The only things that I could not grow back are a fully functioning brain," he added. "So my mother gave me a mechanical one."

"Your mother?" she asked, confused and curious at the same time.

"My creator," he elaborated. "She gave me life, why would I not call her my mother?"

She could feel her heart slowly beating in her breast. It did make sense.

"I am no monster," he stated. "Neither is my father, despite the fact that we would not be considered 'human'."

"What about Hiro?" she found herself asking.

"He's dead, why should he matter?" His cold tone sent a shiver down her spine. Though his flesh was warm, his soul (did he even have a soul?) was cold and emotionless. It was as though he were truly a machine, unfeeling and uncaring. "In truth, I do not know the specifics of Hiro and the others."

"Others?"

"Others."

Had she not already been leaning against the tree Kaede felt that she would have toppled over.

"You say too much," a second voice cautioned. The gruff foreigner extracted himself from another tree behind his friend and companion.

"How much do you know?" she turned on the taller boy.

"More than you," he replied elusively. "And less than you too."

Standing straight Kaede held firm.

"I know not of your ninja missions, but I do know that you were hunting vampires," Luke admitted. "Their stink is on you and sensei."

"You knew about Tenma?"

He nodded slightly.

"Why do you suspect Evangeline?" Tenma interjected. "Just because she doesn't live in the dorms?"

It was weak evidence, but it was a start. Still….

"She's a vampire," Luke growled.

Tenma shook his head.

"What?" the taller of the two muttered. "She has a right to know."

"Father has a truce with her," the cyborg stated. "Obviously the Headmaster and the administration know, and of course she's not a serious threat."

His choice of words did not put her at ease.

"If you do not make an enemy of her she will not be a threat to you," Tenma elaborated.

Again his words failed to put her at ease, though they did clarify the situation. If her sensei had a truce with the vampire that meant that those in the dojo were also. But who were the vampire's enemies? And just how powerful was she?

"You should go," a new yet familiar voice advised.

Spinning around, Kaede turned to face the new speaker.

"Shinobu-san," Tenma and Luke greeted the former first pupil.

"Tenma, Luke, Kaede," the buxom girl returned despite the fact that the ninja had not greeted her. "Eva's bored. If you want she can give you some answers."

"At what cost?" the ninja asked, forcing herself to be cool and relaxed.

"A favor," the blunette replied "to be paid back when the time is right."

The ninja hesitated.

"Perhaps another night," Shinobu added. "You've much to take in still."

"Tell me about Hiro," Kaede insisted.

The older girl flinched as though struck. Taking a moment to compose herself, Shinobu took a step towards the trio. "He was born and died a human."

That seemed to ease Kaede's mind, though why she wasn't sure.

"That will be a favor for me," Shinobu stated.

"He made a deal," Tenma added, causing the other girl to scowl. "As you owe Shinobu a favor, my brother owes a demon a favor."

Luke spat out an unintelligible curse in some foreign tongue.

Shinobu shook her head. "As I serve Evangeline, Hiro serves a demon."

Tenma and Kaede shot the college student a look.

"You know not of deals with demons," she chided them.

Tenma's glare turned to Luke. "You knew?!" It was the first time Kaede had ever heard him with fury and rage in his voice. "Father knows!"

"And now you owe me a favor," Shinobu said to him. "Be glad that you owe me and not my mistress."

"We should go," Luke advised as he turned away from his friend.

Both Tenma and Kaede trailed after the blond, neither sure what to say until they were out of the forest.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tenma demanded as he caught up to his friend.

"I did not know for sure," the werewolf replied. "His cancer was unnatural. I should have been able to detect it when it first developed, but suddenly he was in the hospital and then he was dead. At first I thought that someone had cursed him, but"

"But what?!" Anger and frustration were still evident in the cyborg's voice. Clearly he wasn't just a cold-hearted machine.

"I believe he exchanged his life for someone else's." Regret and guilt were evident on the taller boy's face as he turned to face his friend.

"Who?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I think the demon erased all evidence of who it was."

"But Hiro serves the demon now?" Kaede interrupted.

"Perhaps… I've never made a deal with a demon, and I don't know anyone else who has, so I can't say for sure, but what I've heard is that when you make a deal with a demon your soul is theirs. I'm not a magic user, so I don't know for sure."

Tenma nodded, accepting his friend's words. When he finally spoke again his voice was cool, almost cold. "I cannot ask father, but there are other magic users amongst us."

Kaede nodded agreement. "Akira and Ryoko; but how do we approach them?"

The cyborg shook his head. "Next weekend we go to see Mother."

"Your mother?" Luke gasped.

Kaede couldn't help but wonder just how much the werewolf knew about his friend and what other secrets Tenma held. "She did create an amalgamation of magic and technology."

Tenma nodded. "Mother knows about magic, and if she doesn't know about demons she can at least point us towards someone who knows."

* * *

The candles about the room flickered as Ranma sharply exhaled. Clearly he'd overestimated Kaede's ability to control her curiosity and her faith in him. In fact he'd misjudged all three of them. Tenma had failed to keep a level head while Luke had been surprisingly discreet about what he knew, even trying to reign in the others.

Fortunately Shinobu had been able to intercept them, though she did just as much if not more damage than she'd managed to prevent. Still, they'd learned less than he'd expected or been willing to divulge himself.

Though he was but a young immortal, a week would be sufficient time for him come up with and implement his plans. To the still impatient teens the coming week would drag out, especially with their respective class schedules. When the next weekend came they would either be rushing to Hinata or have put it out of their minds.

* * *

A/N

Sigh, I know that I've not put in as much as I wanted with this fic, or other fics that I've started. Life seems to keep me from being able to dedicate myself to the ideas that I started and the fics that were produced.

Yes, this is probably going to be the last update I have for this fic, and most of my current run of fics. Dead Panic, Ultimate Ranma, Rogue Familiar, Change 1/2, Unpaved Road, and of course anything HP related are probably never going to get finished. Once I've reread One Half Tenjou, One Half Tenge I'll make a decision on that one, but for now, everything else is going to be incomplete/dead. If anyone wants to take them up feel free to hit me up.

Dreamingfox


	40. Epilogue

Author's Notes –

I know that I said that I was done with this fic, but since there were a few requests for an ending I figured I could at least oblige.

Dreamingfox

* * *

A harsh wind lifted dirt off of the barren, lifeless ground, sifting around the two figures as they stood facing each other.

"It's finally come down to this," the taller of the two stated. Though he appeared to be much older than the other man both knew that appearances could be deceiving.

"I should have stopped you sooner," the other figure ground out through grit teeth. The admission combined with the situation did not sit well with the immortal mage.

"There was a time when you came to me for advice," he added "and when you actually listened to what I had to say."

"If I don't do this magic will die," Negi proclaimed. "Asuna's sacrifice…."

"Wasn't necessary," Ranma interrupted. "All those years ago when you stopped Fate, you made it necessary for Asuna to sacrifice her magic to sustain the Magic World, even though you knew that it was only a temporary fix. This world is dying, and so is Earth."

"But I can save everyone," Negi exclaimed. "If I destroy the Magic World now I can keep Earth alive until Asuna wakes up."

"The Earth will still be around when she wakes," the immortal countered.

"But it will be unable to sustain life. Even you won't be able to survive here."

"Everything and everyone dies," Ranma replied. "Even me."

Negi couldn't help but laugh. "Says the immortal that looks the same now as you did when I met you fifty years ago. You may not care about the world, either of them, since all your children died"

"but Chao and your other grandchildren and great-grandchildren can live on the other worlds – the worlds that you helped terraform."

"They'll die too if I don't do this."

"I thought you said that sacrificing the Magic World would allow Earth to live a little longer?"

"It will, but it also gives humanity time to create the ships necessary to travel to new worlds."

"There's never enough time," Ranma stated. "And you can't save everyone."

Now it was Negi's turn to grind his teeth. "You're punishing me! You're punishing me for not saving your children!? They died fighting Akira and Fate. If you wanted them to live you shouldn't have pitted them against each other!"

"Everyone and everything dies, it's inevitable," Ranma repeated. "They chose how to live and how to die. Besides, you were the one who promised them that everyone would live."

"Enough!" Dark energies swirled about Negi, crackling in the dry air.

A lightning charged fist connected with Ranma's face. Rather than being sent flying back from the force of the blow Ranma was cushioned by a wall of water. "I may have lightning reflexes, but even I can't keep up with you when you're in that form," Ranma stated as he caught hold of Negi's hand.

'You think this is enough to stop me?' Negi projected telepathically as he considered the obstacle.

"Stop you?" Ranma replied, adding a punch to the dark mage's face. "It's only to slow you down."

Negi eyed his prison, analyzing it for any weakness that he could exploit. Though the salt water conducted his electrical energy the sheer amount of it actually reduced the energy output to one that Ranma could handle, but the primary benefit was that the sphere slowed him while not encumbering Ranma.

"All those years ago you chose this path," Ranma chided, attempting to distract the intelligent mage. "Evangeline warned you that this path was one of loneliness. These last few decades everyone's slowly left your side. First Asuna, then me, Saffron, Ayaka…. Everyone, even Evangeline is gone!"

'That's because you killed her!' Negi cried as he charged again at Ranma.

Though he specialized in illusions, Ranma's primary alignment as a fighter and a mage was air. It was only through his curses that he'd begun to work on mastering water spells. Like a fish deftly avoiding a predator, Ranma slipped through the water, nimbly dodging his opponent's attacks.

As prepared as he was, Ranma had not expected Negi to slip into the Thunder of Heaven so soon. Then again, it had been over a decade since he'd last sparred with Negi, and this wasn't a sparring session. In terms of power Negi was several magnitudes above Ranma. In terms of knowledge Ranma had decades on Negi in both martial arts and magic. Yet the outcome of this fight was certain in Ranma's mind.

He had prepared for this fight for the past two decades, delaying this fight for as long as necessary.

'What did you do?' the dark mage demanded as his form flickered. 'What did you do?!'

Ranma said nothing as he connected with a kick to his opponent's stomach. Negi's keen mind had already deduced the fact that Ranma had essentially spiked his own magical essence in anticipation that the dark mage would absorb the magical energy in the spell cast on him and use it to fuel his own counter-spells. What the combat mage failed to discern was the type of energy that the cursed mage had used. With any luck (and considerable pressure from his continued attacks) Negi wouldn't be able to make the connection until it was too late. Ranma knew that Negi was best when allowed to think and prepare, just as Ranma was. In truth the two were similar in many respects, their best strategies coming in the middle of battle, yet Ranma was actually better at thinking while fighting whereas Negi was best when given a lull in the action.

His form fizzling, Negi considered his options even as he endured Ranma's relentless barrage. In a pure martial arts fight Ranma was far his superior, just as Negi was far superior as a mage. Flaring up his power, he attempted to boil off the sea water. It was a move that would deplete him of precious mana, something all the more important considering that the flow of magic was drying up.

"You did this," Ranma stated as he sought to distract his opponent. Like all magi, the immortal was also feeling the loss of magical energies in the world. "When you stopped Fate's plan you saved the magical world, but your return to the non-magical world exposed the existence of magic to the rest of the world. Yet no one dared to punish you because those who didn't fear you believed as you did – that magic need not be hidden from the rest of the world anymore.

"Then the explosion of magic users that followed put a strain on the already limited magical energy of a world that could barely handle the demands of the existing magi. Asuna's slumber was only a temporary means of restoring the flow of magic. Today was inevitable. This was inevitable."

Negi's power fluctuated, flickering as he nearly lost hold of his current form. 'How long have you been planning this?'

Ranma held the younger mage's gaze.

'Since you promised me when you left Mahora?'

"Since Chao told me that I would be the one to kill you," he replied.

Finally Negi reverted to his normal self, though wither from voluntary compulsion or from inability to maintain his energy output it was hard to tell. 'You were the one she warned me of,' Negi admitted. 'She knew she couldn't defeat you and she chose the alternative course – to expose the magical world and you'

"In hopes of stopping this," Ranma concluded as he reigned down punches on Negi. "But she failed, just as you did. I know that she told you what would happen, she advised you to not accept Evangeline's offer, yet you did.

"Back in Mahora you told me that what Chao did – using the magic tattoos to enhance her magical ability and reserves even though resorting to such a method inflicts untold physical damage on the subject."

Suddenly Negi transformed again, this time invoking runic tattoos similar to the ones that his granddaughter currently employed and powering the third form of his thunder form. Even with the surge in power it took the dark mage a few seconds to evaporate the sphere of water, allowing Ranma to escape.

"You may be resistant to heat and cold, but my lightning surpasses your endurance," Negi concluded. Eyes locked on his former mentor, Negi lashed out. A lightning charged fist passed through Ranma's head, or at least the mage's illusion, dispelling it.

"Coward!" Negi screeched. "Where are you hiding?!"

"Over here," Ranma's whispered voice fluttered with the wind.

Enraged as he was, Negi lashed out, striking at the area where he thought the voice came from. "More of your tricks! Face me like a man Ranma!"

Even his increased power failed to help him maintain his new form the lightning flickered once again.

"A machine! You're using a recording!"

"Recordings."

Again Negi lashed out, striking the source of the voice. Smirking, Negi focused on the electrical waves that the devices emitted. "It's not going to work," he stated, destroying the devices with a wave of his hand.

A sphere of darkness appeared, trapping Negi. "Clever – a darkness rune triggered by my lightning attacks."

Instinctively he reached out with his senses, absorbing part of the magical energy of the attack. "The more powerful your trap, the more fuel you give me!"

Vacuum blades cut into Negi, enraging the already unstable mage. Even his bright form failed to illuminate the darkness, giving the master illusionist and martial artist the edge. Charging in the direction that the attack had originated from, he endured several more hits before realizing that the direction of the attacks had changed.

"You know you can't beat me man to man." Pride had been Ranma's greatest sin, at least in the time that Negi had known him in Mahora. Many considered him to be an unequaled martial artist, few outside of the staff realizing that he was a magic user as he focused on mastering his physical skills rather than combining his magic to improve his fighting like most of the younger magic users and often besting most combat magi in sparring sessions. "That's why you're hiding, isn't it?"

"Did you ever think that I don't want to kill you?"

"Because you can't!"

"Because I had high hopes for you. Killing you means that I, and many others, was wrong to believe in you, but unlike the others I'm the only one left to see how you've turned out." Another barrage of vacuum blades hit Negi, weakening the powerful archmage and forcing him to focus his attention in another direction. "Takahata, Master Konoe, Kotaro, the Urashimas, Zazie!" each name signaled another series of attacks, each throwing Negi into a frenzied charge in the direction of his voice or in the perceived direction of the attack. Though he couldn't see them he could sense the destructive blasts of magical energy that Negi discharged.

The combination of psychological attacks and physical kept Negi off balance, preventing him from deducing the weaknesses of the trap and escaping. Still, it escape was inevitable for Negi. Despite the depletion of mana and magical energies in the world Negi still commanded a considerable mana reserve. In comparison Ranma was resorting to using runes, parlor tricks and sapping his enemy's reserves to power his spells.

"Arrows of darkness!" the arch-mage hissed as a new barrage of attacks hit him from several directions prompting him to counter with his own barrage of spells. "Drones! Ha! I'll put an end to that!"

For several minutes the attacks continued, though Negi was able to successfully counter, slowly reducing the number of attacks launched at him.

"A darkness rune to hide Arrows of Darkness, and mixing in your vacuum blades - ingenius," Negi finally concluded. "Unfortunately you don't have the reserves to keep this up forever!"

Prepared for the next wave of attacks, Ranma rushed, timing his attacks so that a barrage of vacuum blades hit Negi just has the immortal connected with his physical attack. The mana draining spell negated the archmage's barrier while also powering up Ranma's next magical attack and leaving Negi exposed to the vacuum blades.

"Ergh-!" The sound of the vacuum blades was muted by the rune of silence, negating all sounds except the voices of the battling magi.

The continued silence meant that Negi was starting to use his head once again.

"HA!" the arch-mage exclaimed triumphantly as the darkness receded.

The initial light of the cloudy day was more than enough to mask the truth of the situation. Gone was the sudden and unpredictable gusts of wind that had blown the dust in every direction. With the dust settled and his eyes adjusted to the light Negi finally saw the horror of the situation. "What trick is this? More of your damned illusions!?"

Dead was all around them as several dozen bodies lay about the lifeless plain.

"I always knew I couldn't beat you by myself," Ranma admitted bitterly. "You're far too powerful for even me to fight head on."

"They'd never turn against me!" Negi proclaimed, his voice wavering.

"But I did," the platinum blond muttered. "Had I known this is how you were going to turn out I would not have done anything differently. I'm quite proud of you actually. But now you are too much of a threat that even I can't help but agree to fight against you.

"And they are my partners," she indicated her now dead partners. "They follow my orders regardless of how they feel about you."

"But Chachamaru"

"Wasn't loyal to me," Evangeline stated. "That's why Ranma destroyed her."

"You've been preparing for this for the last five years," Negi concluded as he eyed his remaining opponents.

"I've been on board since I realized how much damage you're doing the world," she stated. "I had hoped that you wouldn't walk this path, but now that you have there's no turning back."

"This is the only way to save everything I've built!" he pleaded.

"It's no longer 'Destroy to Build' – you're only prolonging things. The first principle of dark magic is that once you're dead your spells come undone."

"So you killing me is tantamount to you killing all those worlds I helped terraform," Negi stated.

"They won't die right away," Ranma countered. "Those worlds will dry up, and while life may be sustainable, it will be hard for those who live there. The other worlds will lose their magic, but they never relied on it like on the worlds you created.

"If we kill you, the magic in your reserves should help preserve the worlds for a while longer." His words had a greater affect than any spell he could have cast, stopping Negi in his tracks.

"He's right," Evangeline confirmed. "Even if you die your worlds are stable enough to survive even without you injecting them with mana. Your mana reserves will be spread through this world and earth allowing them to survive long enough to evacuate the rest of the population."

Negi weighed their words. Suddenly Ranma's fist was around Negi's heart.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as he crushed his opponent's heart. "I never wanted it to end this way."

A quick jab to the throat crushed his esophagus, preventing Negi from saying anything.

"Why?" Evangeline muttered, startled by Ranma's sudden attack.

Crushing his opponent's heart, Ranma felt his opponent shutter as it entered the death throes. White light surrounded his left fist as he slammed it into Negi's skull, delivering the finishing blow to the undead immortal.

"Why?!" the vampire demanded as she approached him.

"You said it yourself," he replied as he extracted his hands from his opponent's body. "We've already crossed the line – there's no going back, either we died or he died. We couldn't save him, and if we let him talk he'd only restore his own resolve and belief in what he was fighting for.

"You know that's how he fights – he struggles, has a moment of doubt, then ultimately finds his resolve and pulls some fantastic combo out of his ass that no one expects," he explained bitterly. It was just what he did when pressed with seemingly insurmountable odds and an unbeatable foe.

"So now what?"

Though she had lived far longer than he had, the vampire was truly lost. For so long she'd tried to live alone, dependent on no one but herself and perhaps her partners. But even they were gone now.

"You start over," Ranma stated as he traced out a glyph of unholy fire. As he'd suspected the glyph flared with uncanny ferocity as it fed on Negi's body. Though it would take a while for his mana reserves to reach the planets on the outer-rim Mars and Earth would have enough ambient energy to sustain itself for another generation or two. For now the magical energies released by Negi's death would make magic more effective for the hundreds of thousands who still used it.

"I'll kill you if I ever see you again," Evangeline stated.

A wiry smile graced his tired face. "I don't know how long the magic that sustains me will last," he replied honestly. "If I'm still around, feel free to try."

* * *

A cold, unseasonable wind rustled the dry leaves that populated the empty plaza. Memories of the past filled the lone traveler's mind as he eyed the empty buildings of the once bustling plaza. He was alone, but he was not the only one in the plaza. Though he could not see the others he could see their footsteps in the dust and dirt that covered the ground.

All but one voice was alien, signifying that he really did not need to be here. "I leave her to you Eva," he muttered before turning his back to the withered remains of the world tree. Though he had yet to meet them, Ranma knew who the vampire was traveling with. While she concealed her identity well, Ranma's strong ties to the underworld and those who dealt with the trade of secrets had kept him informed of where she traveled and with whom she traveled with. One was Negi's grandchild – Touta Konoe, and the other was his great-granddaughter Chao Lingshen. It did not help that each of them had sworn a blood oath that they would kill him should they encounter him again, the two youngest having failed twice each before finally joining up with their ancestor's former teacher.

As the last of the Springfield bloodline they were his legacy now that the rest of the worlds in the solar system were dying. The general populace believed that Negi had sacrificed himself in an attempt to restore magic to the world. Only a handful of people knew the truth, most of them siding with Evangeline in their belief that Negi could have been convinced to the right thing in the end and that Ranma had been wrong in killing the arch-mage.

Only several hundred thousand remained in the solar system, those too poor or those who believed that the planets weren't dying. Word of new planets being terraformed using a modified process of what Negi had lead many of the remaining magi to the frontier. Once again magic was considered myth, the remaining magi simply combining their magic with advanced technology to achieve miraculous results.

Yet even with magic once again being forgotten Ranma maintained his immortal youth. He'd never been a powerful mage, just a clever one. He could survive without magic, but against three relatively powerful magi he knew he was outmatched. Though he could feel the stirring of magical energies in Mahora, he knew that he was long out of practice. Even if he could use his spells he could only use the illusions against combat magi.

No, leaving the soon to be awakened Asuna in their hands was fine.

The trek back to his shuttle gave him the time needed to recalculate. Though immortal he still needed food and water. With one other he could reach the closest of what were now considered the "Core" planets, the first handful of planets that he had helped terraform. Alone he could reach the outer edge of what were considered the Core planets.

One last gaze at the barren land behind him was all he needed. What had once been a bustling, lush city was now but an empty shell, a bleak reminder of what once was.

His gaze shifted to the twinkling stars above. Even from the surface he could make out several star ships or space stations overhead. Sighing, he stepped over the threshold, allowing the ship's door to close. "Goodbye."

* * *

A/N

I was thinking of starting a spin-off fic with a new cast of characters to accompany Ranma, but I don't have the energy for that right now.

I hope you all enjoyed the ride.

Dreamingfox


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